Haruko
by petitefeeme
Summary: Haruko finds herself in the past with no hope of ever going back. What place will she play in history when she meets a silver haired, amber eyed inu demon?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter one : Prologue

**Petitefeeme: Hiya! This is me again, with once more a finished story! ^_^ I'm quite proud of myself! **

**I will post the first and second chapters since the first one is kind of short.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Inuyasha's character except my own OCs, enjoy the story!**

Usually I'm not that thrilled when mom takes us my brother and I to visit shrines, temples and whatever historical monuments that can be found in Tokyo; but this time I had to admit that this little typical shrine was lovely.

The million stairs we had to climb was totally worth it, the place immediately made me feel at peace and weirdly at home, like a sense of belonging.

The old woman dressed in miko garb made us visit the old buildings and I took great pleasure in hearing the several legends attached to this shrine.

Apparently the old woman was delighted in my interest and made an honour point to narrate me those stories.

After a bit more than a hour she offered souvenirs and my eyes caught a beautiful necklace.

It was very simple, just a simple silver circle slipped into a silver chain, but imbedded in the circle was a tiny diamond shaped stone reminding me a bit of glass. The difference was that the stone was reflecting different hues of purple from the light.

The old miko noticed my interest and took the necklace.

"It's 585.5 yens please." She said, handing it to me.

I blinked a few times before realizing what she had said. I hurriedly took my purse handing and rummaged in it, finding the required amount.

I gave the money to the old woman and she thanked me before putting the necklace in my hands.

I admired it a little before putting it around my neck.

"You're lovely with that." Complimented the old woman "Now go find your mother little one. She must be waiting for you."

I nodded and thanked her before getting out and searching for mom. But I barely made two steps outside the building when I saw a glow surrounding the a little building to my left.

I remembered that this was a well's shrine. The old woman told me that this well was 'a portal to the past'.

I looked around but there was no trace of my mother or brother, so I decided to go peak a glance inside the building to see the source of the glow.

I neared it and through a look inside through the spaced planks and saw the blue glow emanating from the well inside.

Usually I'm not that curious, but this time I slitted the door open and edged in, taking careful steps towards climbing down the few steps leading to the bottom.

I passed my head over the edge and looked inside the well, trying to find where the blue glow was coming from.

But I couldn't notice any spotlight or anything like that, and the glow was intense, making me close my eyes a little to support it.

I inclined toward the bottom to try to decipher the source of the glow but at the last moment my foot slipped and I fell forward into the well.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two

I regained consciousness and it took me a few minutes to remember what happened.

I felt the earth under my hands and assumed I was still in the well, so I opened my eyes to let them accustom to the darkness of the place.

But instead of a dark place, rays of light were pouring into the bottom, creating a somewhat illuminate place.

I tested each of my limbs and checked my body for any injuries, but apart from a bump on my head, I was whole.

I got up but my legs were asleep so I supported my body onto the wall until they stopped shaking.

I looked up and understood why the place was so light, there was no roof above me.

'What the…' I though, trying to think of a rational explication.

After a whole minute finding nothing, I looked up to find something to climb with.

I used the stones making the first layer of the well then the ivies hanging down from the top to get out.

I sat against the wood to regain my breath while looking around.

Perhaps I was still out cold because all I was seeing was trees, bushes and more trees.

Still very confused, I began shuffling around, trying to see if there was someone or any trace of civilization near.

"Hello!" I yelled, hands around my mouth "Is someone's here?"

My voice echoed away and nobody answered, so I decided to walk in a bee-line so that I could find my way back later.

I walked for about ten minutes and I was pondering if I could go further when I caught something golden, standing out against the green of the forest.

The curiosity getting the better of me, I neared the golden thing to find something I never though I would see.

A dragon.

Its scales were golden, glinting softly under the autumn sun. It had a beautiful aqua blue mane running down its long neck, two earthy brown little twisted horns sprouting out of its skulls just behind its scaly ears, glinting silver spines covering its back and tail and blood red eyes fixed on me.

I tensed but nonetheless noted the long deep gash, blood oozing out like a waterfall.

I gasped and instinctively made a step forward, but the dragon let out an intimidating rumble, eyes' pupils slitting like a cat.

I stopped and slowly put my hands forward.

"Let me help you." I said softly "Your wound is deep."

I could nearly hear a fly buzz around and was wondering if the dragon was gonna eat me when it simply put its head down, closing its eyes.

I stayed were I was, wondering if it was a yes or a no. I took a step forward and checked: no reaction. I did the same process until I was beside it and neared a hand to touch its belly.

Seeing that my head not rolling on the ground as an okay sign, I began inspecting the wound.

What I found despaired me. The wound was too deep and needed stitches, but I couldn't do that, not even press the two sides together with a bandage (the beast was too big).

Not liking doing nothing, I decided that I could at least try to wash the wound. The only problem was to find water.

I listened around and though hearing running water not far away. I walked eagerly to it, finding a little stream.

I noted somewhere in my mind that it was awfully far away from my senses' reach to ponder on later and busied myself by tearing down the bottom of my top.

After at least five whole minutes fighting with the stubborn piece of clothes which wouldn't simply separate, I dipped it into the water before running back to the dragon.

Fortunately my top was long so I didn't suffer from the cold advancing evening while I cleaned the wound with application.

With that done I began closing the wound with my bare hand, pressing on it.

I didn't know if that would help, but I was willing to try.

"You cannot help me." Said a feminine voice, resonating in the little covered clearing.

I looked around but found nobody.

"Is somebody here?" I asked.

"In front of you." The voice simply said.

I looked in front of me to just see the belly of the dragon. Then a sneaky suspicion made its way to my mind and I slowly turned to the dragon which was looking intensely at me.

"Dragons can speak?" I asked, half wishing that it wouldn't answer.

"Even a hatchling can enter a human mind." Snorted the voice "It's not difficult."

I felt a little insulted but concentrated on the fact that the dragon was speaking to me in my mind (if I guessed correctly that is. For all I knew I could have become simply crazy).

"You are speaking to me?" I asked the dragon with evident disbelief in my voice.

"Perhaps I was wrong when I chose to let you live." It replied "You seemed a bit smarter than your kind."

"Are you done insulting me?" I retorted, letting my irritation getting the better of me "Just in case you didn't notice I'm trying to help you."

"This is why I connected my mind with you in the first place." Said exasperatedly the dragon "You cannot help me."

"Why?" I asked

"The wound is to deep." Explained the dragon "And I'm using all my remaining powers to create a shell around my baby so that I can expulse it out of my body."

"Dragons don't lay eggs?" I asked my curiosity too present to be ignored.

"Not really." Answered the dragon "But we don't have much time, I have a favour to ask you."

"What is it?"

"Could you raise my child?"

I blinked, looked at her in disbelief, blinked again and blurted out the first rational thought that came to me.

"What?"

The dragon sighed exasperatedly and explained:

"I'm going to die and my child will be left alone in the wilderness. You seem strong and capable so I'm asking you to take care of her."

I noted that apparently the baby was going to be a female and said:

"Can't you contact someone in your family to take care of her instead of me?"

She sighed and replied:

"Dragons aren't tender creatures. No one in the family will take care of her, they will favour their own first."

"I don't know how to take care of a dragon child." I argued

"I will merge my soul with yours." Replied the dragon "So when my body dies, you will know what to do with the egg."

I was totally speechless now, but the dragon didn't let me think ahead and put her mussel on my forehead.

Frankly I felt nothing, only a warmth inside me and a blinding light that forced my eyes to close.

When I opened them again, the dragon was no longer here, there was only an egg.

It was beautiful, full of colours. The main colours were gold, brown and green with pecks of red.

I touched it. It was warm and I was almost sure I felt something move within.

'What to do now?' I though, my hand still on the egg.

'_You'll have to discover and master your powers.'_

I froze and looked around. Was there another dragon?

'_Of course not silly little one, I'm in your head.'_

This piece of information was particularly difficult to absorb.

"What are you doing in my head?" I said with a carefully measured voice.

'_I already told you. I'm here to help you raise the hatchling.'_

I decided to ignore the major part of me who just wanted to freak out and asked:

"It might be a bit stupid, but how did you end up in my head?"

'_You know you can speak to me mentally. Like that people might not think right away that you're crazy. And second, I'm not the dragon you met. I'm just a part of her, mixed with your subconscious. When she merged her soul with yours, her powers also mixed with your personality. You're now also a dragon demoness.'_

I was going to speak aloud when I remembered what the voice told me.

'How is it that I'm a demoness when I'm human? And is that mean that I'm evil? From what I heard demons are.'

I felt the voice's irritation.

'_Only the humans dubbed demons evil because they're different from them. And humans fear differences. And your transformation was a success because you were not really human; you were and still are a witch.'_

"A…witch?" I asked, my mind blanker and blanker from the shock.

'_Contrary to humans beliefs, witches aren't evil either. What we call witches are humans who are more sensible to elements around us. Like mikos, but with different powers.'_

'I…still don't understand."

The voice sighed in irritation and explained further.

'_There are five elements coexisting in our world. Chi, Ka, Fu, Sui and Ku. Earth, fire, wind, water and void. The witch is sensible to these elements and with enough power can control them."_

I took my time to ingest those informations and asked a question.

'Void?"

'_The void element is also called Sky or Heaven. It represents things beyond, made of pure energy, spirits. It's associated with creativity, thinking, communicating, power, spontaneity and inventiveness. In one word it's raw power.'_

I nodded slowly, my mind full of questions but already too much information. I sat in the nest made of roots at the base of a tree before remembering the egg.

'_The egg needs heat to survive. You have to build a fire. Normally a dragon's body's heat is sufficient but even if you're now partly a dragon demoness, your own body's heat hasn't raised enough.'_

I sighed and got up again, roaming around to gather dry wood.

Fortunately I remembered my uncle teaching me how to build a fire and after a few tries I had a nice big fire happily cackling in front of me. I put the egg as near as I could before curling beside it, quickly falling asleep.

**Petitefeeme: I hope you liked those two first chapters! I think I'll post one more chapter each week, probably Friday or during the weekend.**

**Until next week! **


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three

I woke up, feeling weird. It seemed that during the night I… shrank.

There was something on me, like a cover. I opened my eyes and looked around. Curiously everything was…bigger

I got on my knees and got the surprise of my life when my clothes fell off, living me naked.

By reflex I covered myself with my arms as best as I could, looking around frantically for anyone peeping.

No one was there so I got up and spread my shirt wide in front of me at arm length. Now it was more a dress than a shirt.

I put it on myself and tied my scarf around my waist.

'I must look like a fashion plate.' I dryly joked with myself.

My eyes went for the egg and what happened yesterday came in.

'Okay, resuming the situation' I thought 'I fell into a well and woke up in this weird world. I met a dragon who apparently merged her soul with mine, creating a voice in my head and transforming me into a sort of dragon demoness. Now I have to take care of an egg who is the dragon's child…. That's it I totally lost it.'

'_Of course not sweetie. And I'm not a voice, I'm your inner demon.'_

'I need to order things before walking forward. First of all, where am I?'

'_Sweetie, I'm not a clairvoyant, I'm as lost as you.'_

I sighed for what seemed the umpteenth time that day (and it barely had begun) and got up, lifting the egg with difficulty in my now little arms (I just noticed I didn't make a heart attack upon seeing I was probably the size o a dwarf, which was weird. But then again it could be because of the overload of informations), I began walking toward the well.

'_Where are you going?'_

'I came here through this well' I though 'So it's logical to think I could go back also with it.'

The inner demon said nothing and I soon reached the well's clearing, totally exhausted.

I put the egg against it and peered inside.

I decided to try without the egg first, though the inner demon protested. I was afraid to damage it in the fall.

But unfortunately the weird light wasn't here and I seriously hurt my bum, almost twisting my ankle landing at the bottom.

I swore in my mind before climbing up, careful of my sore ankle, resting against the well to regain my breath.

'Okay, the well isn't an option anymore. I really don't know what to do."

I sighed (again) and looked at the egg. How was I going to raise a child when I had virtually nothing?

'_Don't be pessimistic child. We will go step by step. First you have to achieve your transformation.'_

'My…transformation?'

'_Even though you might not know child, you're a powerful witch. And the dragon was very powerful too. Sometimes I wonder how you didn't simply die because the two souls were too different, powerful and couldn't merge together.'_

'Whoopee!' I though in sarcasm.

'_Getting back on track. Your soul and the dragon's soul are still merging. Slowly but surely you will transform into a dragon demoness, though I don't know how much you will change.'_

A thousands questions entered my mind but I focused on a more important thing: what will happen next.

'And…after my transformation is completed?'

'_It will be vital to master your new powers, though I don't think they will be any different than a witch power. Dragon demons are, like witches, connected deeply to the elements. The only difference is that they have more power over them and can be affiliated with more than one.'_

I decided to stop asking questions about what would happen next and focused on immediate problem.

'We can't stay out in the open. One day it will rain or worse. And I need to eat, to feed the hatchling when she's born and to provide enough heat.'

I decided to explore my surrounding and got up deciding to go opposite of where I went last time. I left the egg here, the thing being too heavy to carry around aimlessly and began walking.

I don't know how long I walked, but when I found a little dirt path the sun was high in the sky, leaving almost no shade under trees and bushes.

I hesitated a moment, having left for very long now, but in the end took the path, which was very short.

It was ending with the forest, leading to vast fields and pastures.

Nestled in the hollow of the valley before me was a little village. Weirdly it looked like a medieval village, not a modern one. The houses were simple wooden hut and the people working on the fields were doing it by hand, no technology whatsoever.

But I was happy to see the civilisation and ran back to the egg quickly before walking down the little path leading toward the village.

I got shy nearing the first building but built up my courage to walk forward.

I got into the centre of the village (which was very small) and stopped, people beginning to gather around me in curiosity and wary.

I put the egg down, tired and cramped, before looking one by one at all the faces scanning me like lasers.

By looking more closely at their faces, I noticed differences.

Some were purely normal faces, but some had marks on their cheeks, foreheads, and pointed ears. But most of the children I was seeing had animals' ears.

I had enough of the silence after some long minutes and took a sharp intake of breath before asking:

"Could someone help me? I don't know where I am. Do you know where Tokyo is?"

Nobody answered me, but a moment later the crowd split in half to let a man and a woman pass.

The man was a bull, literally: enormous muscles, a thick neck, arms like trees and very tall with that. He had wavy short black hairs with white highlights and deep black little eyes. He was wearing a short deep blue cotton tunic with a black slash. His particularities were two deep brown streaks, one on each cheekbones and slightly pointed ears.

The woman was of average height, but beside the man she was tiny. She had soft chestnut hairs falling down to her waist in thick curls and vivid dark brown, almost black eyes. She was wearing the traditional shrine maiden uniform in Japan, a white haori and red hakamas.

What attracted me the most was the woman, and more particularly the woman's stomach. There was there a sort of energy accumulation, though I could make (for some weird reason) two different sources, swirling and clashing against each other, fighting. Then there was this feeling of pain I was getting from her, like an aura.

The two stopped in front of me, stopping my daydreaming and the man bent down, sniffing me like a dog.

"I think she's not dangerous." He finally said, straightening, looking at the woman "And you?"

She looked at me a bit more before replying:

"I don't sense anything evil coming from her, even though I don't know what she is exactly."

The man nodded to her before addressing the crowd:

"Return to your activities! She's of no danger, we're safe!"

Soon the crown dissipated and the woman motioned to me to follow her. I didn't know what else to do so I gathered up the egg and complied. The man tried to get the egg, perhaps to help me but I denied him, holding the egg tighter.

We entered a hut and I sat on a flat cushion, the egg securely near me before looking somewhat warily at the two who were sitting across me. I was under the impression of being in martial court.

The woman's expression lightened a bit and she asked kindly:

"What's your name little one?"

I frowned a bit at the 'little one' term but answered nonetheless.

"My name is Haruko Daishi. And you?"

They seemed surprised by my answer but the woman replied:

"My name is Aisu and this is Hiro, my mate."

When she said that, Aisu's face lightened considerably, almost looking at peace and happy. I saw in her eyes the love she held for the man before her, though I shortly wondered what 'mate' was exactly.

Having no answer, I only smiled to them a little, still shy about the whole situation.

"How did you end up here?" asked Aisu "And where are your parents?"

I knew instinctively that these were not the questions she really wished to ask, but answered them nonetheless:

"I was visiting a shrine with my mother and brother and I fell into a well. I woke up in the forest and I don't know where my mother is."

Sure the answer was weird but it was true, so the couple let it pass, even if they seemed dumbfounded.

"Are you of nobility?" asked Aisu again.

"No." I answered "Why?"

"Because you have two names calf." Said the man.

It was the first time I heard him speak. His voice was deep, very deep, like stones scratching against each other. It was going well with his imposing stature.

'Calf?' I though, somewhat insulted.

"Why are you calling me a calf?" I asked him, a hint of reproach in my tone "And why having two names make me a noble?"

It was Aisu who answered.

"Don't mind him." She said "As a bull demon, he calls the children 'calves', as a dog demon say pups and a kitsune kits. As for your two names, only those of nobility have a last name. The name of their clan most of the time. Common people only have one name."

I nodded, understanding, and explained:

"Where I am from, everyone had a last name, even common people. But if you're bothered, you can simply call me Haruko, I don't mind."

"And where do you come from?" asked Hiro.

"Tokyo." I answered shortly, earning curious glances from the two.

"And where is this Tokyo you speak off?" asked curiously Aisu.

I was totally put out by this question.

"B-But." I said, stuttering a little "You must know the capital of Japan, no?"

"The only important central town is Kamakura with the Bafuku in the East." Said Aisu somewhat apologetically.

The name Bafuku ringed some memories in distant history classes. From what I could remember, the Bafuku was a base of power settled in Kamakura by the Seii Tai Shogun, Minamoto no Yoritomo in 1192. But the simple idea that I could be in the past was ridiculous so I cast it aside immediately. Perhaps those people were so secluded that the only important town they knew was Kamakura.

Ignoring the little voice in my head telling me that the time travelling theory could be true, I asked:

"I need to go home. My mother and brother are probably worried about me. Can you help me?"

"First of all." Said Aisu, her tone commanding "You need a bath, badly, and new clothes too. You will eat something and then we will investigate where you woke up."

She got up quickly and headed out, leaving me with her mate.

There was an awkward silence before he said casually:

"Doesn't a dragon egg need constant heat?"

I blinked and looked at the egg, panicking immediately when it felt somewhat cold against my hand. I immediately put it just beside the fire, surprised when the man threw it directly in the blazing flames.

"But…!" I began protesting, worried for the egg.

"A dragon's belly is much more heated than a fire, though it's the nearest thing of it. I will get some firewood."

He got out and a moment later Aisu entered, a bucked of water that she hung over the fire before beckoning me to follow her.

I tried, like her, to ignore the stares I was getting and stopped with in front of a well.

Aisu holed up two bucked of waters and gave the half empty one to me to carry.

When we entered the hut again Hiro was already here, adding some wood in the fire.

Aisu got the bucked from the water and added the one she was carrying. She told me to wait for her and disappeared to reappear with a large bowl that she put down before adding the hot water. She also poured the two other buckets and told me to disrobe and enter the water.

I looked at Hiro, unsure but he had already turned his back on us and was heading slowly outside.

Aisu disappeared again to get some soap and I told her I could perfectly bath on my own. She nodded and told me she was going to find me some clothes and food.

She let me all by myself for half an hour, enough for me to bath and dry myself (with the exception of my hairs).

Aisu got back with clothes and a bowl of rice with some fish's bits.

To my surprise the clothes weren't normal one, but a traditional kimono. I could see that one layer was faded white and the other dark blue and vermilion, the two colours alternating in large bands. And I could see, embroidered with a pale yellow yarn a fruit that could be a cherry, surrendered by two leaves and repeated over and over on the red bands on the tissue. There was also a pale yellow, almost white slash.

"But this is too expensive!" I gasped, embarrassed "You can give me normal clothes, I don't want to damage something so precious."

Aisu looked genuinely surprised and looked at the clothes she was holding before answering in a dumbfounded voice:

"But these are normal clothes. If I might add it's what you were wearing which were weird."

I blushed and 'blanked' my mind, the clues I was getting too far stretched and the theory constantly in my mind too improbable.

I accepted Aisu's help to wear and tie the clothes around my little body and ate the rice and fish quickly.

Hiro promised to look after the egg while we were gone and got me a pair of wooden sandals.

I led Aisu to the well's clearing and she examined it longly before answering me.

"I can feel in the air the strong magic at work in this place. Time magic. You probably travelled through time to come here. But unfortunately the well has no power left. I think it used its last strength to send you here. Though I don't know why."

'B-But." I found myself stuttering in desperation "And my family?"

"I'm sorry." Said gently Aisu, putting a hand on my head "But I'm afraid you're stuck here."

All came down crashing onto me. I was stuck in a little child's form in what seemed like the Kamakura period in approximately 1192. I would never again see my family and was away of any modern technology.

I showed Aisu where I met the dragon in a sort of second state and only erupted in sobs and cries when I was put in bed.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four

**Petitefeeme: And here is a new chapter ^_^**

**I want to dedicate this chapter to my friend Blue-chan. HAPPY **

**BIRTHDAY BLUE-CHAN ! XD **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, only my Ocs. Enjoy this chapter! =)**

I was in a state of shock for one whole month. For that entire period I sat silently on my futon or in front of the hut, only moving to eat, bath, clothe or relieve myself.

I could see that Aisu and even Hiro were worried about me. Though I was thankful that they were taking care of the egg for me, for the moment I couldn't give a damn to what they were thinking.

What got me out of this trance was actually my inner demon.

'_Really child, are you going to transform in a vegetable?'_

'Not really, why?' I grumbled.

'_All you've done this month was sitting, staring at nothing and I'm getting quite irritated with your inactivity. In an unknowing amount of months, the egg will hatch and you will have to take care of the hatchling, raise her so that she can become a proud dragon demoness and live a happy life. You're certainly not going to achieve that goal by just sitting around!'_

'Demo…my family.' I protested weakly, knowing she was right but not really wanting to stop my mourning.

'_What, your family? You're a witch and a demoness for goodness sake! Witches can live easily one hundred years and being a dragon witch demoness, your lifespan surely lengthened greatly. You will surely live until you can see your family again. And what they would say if they saw you like that?'_

'My father would probably want me to move my butt to make the better off things.' I sighed 'And my mother would want me to be happy, no matter what happen.'

I broke down in sobs again, unable to help myself, but the only difference from this last month was that, after sobbing for half an hour, I actually felt a little better.

I dried my eyes, surely looking awful and decided to explore a bit. I didn't know what I was going to do with my life for the moment, but to begin with something somewhat familiar was a good beginning.

So after making sure the egg was warm enough (and apologizing to it for neglecting it, though I knew the being inside couldn't really hear me), I wandered out of the hut.

I did my best to ignore the stares I was getting for most of the villagers and walked to what seemed to be the centre of the tiny town. It was a sort of place where the well was standing, people gathering around to collect water.

Then the huts were built along the main dirt road, some of them a bit further, on a little plateau at hillside. When I ventured a bit further I found various plantations and pastures with the forest in the background.

I sat on a rock and observed longly women washing clothes in the nearby river, children playing or doing their chores and men working in the plantations or the huts. It was rustic, hard, but I could feel an harmony in this way of living. A sense of peace.

My attention got to a rather old woman who was carrying a large basket of herbs with a lot of more little ones.

She seemed to have some difficulties so I hoped off my rock and neared her.

"Do you need any help?" I asked, hating how my voice now sounded childish.

The woman scrutinized me a good moment before abruptly dropping three little bags in my arms. I barely caught them, not being ready and followed her with some difficulties, noticing now that her straws were long and fast for someone as old as her.

I entered after her in a hut that looked slightly bigger than the other and immediately understood why when I stepped in.

Hanging from the walls were rows and rows of glass, earth, little and big jars containing liquids, ointments, roots, flowers, leaves and pastes of different colours. Dried herbs were hanging from the ceiling and on a little low table were tools surely used to transform herbs into medicine.

I quickly became awe struck at the scenery before me and forgot the bags in my arms until the old woman snapped at me:

"Well! Are you going to stand here looking like an idiot or making yourself useful?"

I blushed, handed her the bags and watched her open them all, the big basket included, before putting all the herbs on the table.

She began to sort them out in piles and tying them together in bunches.

She stopped as soon as she began and said.

"Well? Weren't you going to help me?"

I blushed once again before running literally to sit in front of her and sorting out herbs.

The old woman reprimanded me on numerous occasions, pointing me that even if the flower or even leaves were close in looks, the roots or the colours weren't the same.

I became quickly entranced in the jobs and didn't even notice the sun was down until Aisu entered the hut.

"Ah! There you are." She said, seemingly relieved to see me "Where were you all this time? Hiro and I were worried."

It touched me deeply that they would care so much for me and couldn't help the smile that stretched my lips.

"Gomen." I said, getting off the cushion I was on "I was helping her and I didn't saw the time pass."

While talking I pointed to her the old woman and Aisu nodded to her quite respectfully, getting a grunt in return.

"Come on dear." She said to me once more "It's late."

It felt odd to be talked to like a little child (which technically I was in appearance), but weirdly it felt still good, and warm.

I walked to her but before following her, I looked back to the old woman and asked:

"What is your name baa-san?"

"Shizen." She said shortly, not even looking at me.

I didn't reply, leaving her with Aisu.

For the next two weeks, I slowly integrated myself to the village's life.

I began helping regularly Shizen, fascinated with her knowledge of herbs, or humans, hanyos and demons.

And yes, after a few days I finally understood why some villagers like Hiro had weird ears and tattoos like marks. At the beginning I refused to believe it: demons were just myths, not real!

But after seeing them use their powers, and even transforming in their true form, I couldn't deny the fact.

It took me some days to get used to it, but eventually it became an everyday occurrence.

When I wasn't with Shizen I was helping the children to look after the few oxen and horses or to collect eggs or fishes (which was fun. Fishes are slippery and it took dexterity to catch them).

The village was self sufficient. I later found that with the patch of forest, it was surrounded by high mountains and inaccessible most of the year (the only path was inaccessible from early autumn to early summer). But the forest was full of wild animals and the stream near the village fishy. The earth was rich and the weather clement, so the village was lively and thriving.

The only problem was the clothes but they were growing flaxes to create tissues.

After the end of the second month, I became fully accustomed to the farm life and was more or less friendly with everyone.

There was always something to do from sunrise to sunset and everyone, even little children like me, had chores.

I helped more and more Shizen, who I discovered was the head healer of the village, and at the end of the third month became officially her apprentice.

It was after the sixth month that I finished my 'transformation'.

I woke up one day and my inner had stated calmly that my merging was finished.

'What?' I thought, a bit thrown off by the news.

'_If you don't believe me, just go look at reflection.'_

I had to wait till I reached the river, the village having no mirror.

I bent gently over the water surface and observed curiously my 'new' apppearence.

My chestnut brown hairs had become freakish PINK! OH MY..!

I stared at my reflection in shock, totally freaked out by my new hairs before realising that I didn't breathed for one whole minute. I took a sharp intake of breath and looked one more time.

Albeit it was my hairs, the colour was beautiful, a very pale, almost white pink which was reminding me of sakura blossoms. The only difference was that they had a silver glint in add.

And I had now the bluest eyes I ever saw instead of my green ones. They were so beautiful that I had some difficulty detaching myself from them. This was so new.

I also noticed I had little pitch black streaks, one on each of my cheekbone.

"Haruko?" I heard someone call me.

I turned to see Aisu searching for me. I called her back and she made a funny face discovering my new appearance but overall accepted me easily.

Hiro laughed at me for one whole week but calmed afterward.

My change caused me another session of laser looks but otherwise, but they adapted to me again in little time.

For the next six months, nothing big happened. I was doing my best to help the villagers with my little body, mostly helping Shizen. I was often alone, my mind not taking pleasure in games of my age (which seemed two or three) and even if they were cordial with me, the villagers were still finding me weird, mostly the children (and perhaps they were right).

I was more and more helping Aisu in her duty, having finally noticed she was pregnant. I also noticed she was in pain and even Shizen seemed perplexed.

The old woman told me that she was worried because of the mixing of energies.

Aisu was a miko and Hiro a demon. Apparently those two energies didn't mix really well and Shizen was afraid the baby would die, taking its mother with him/her.

I wanted desperately to help, but didn't know what to do. So I only helped soothe the pain instead of erasing it.

There was only a little incident resulting from a discovery concerning my powers.

One day I was in the river, playing with the water while the women were washing the clothes. My job was to catch a cloth if it slipped away from one of them. I was enjoying it and dancing when a stream of water formed and began following my movements. Surprised, I stopped, but the stream stayed so I tentatively moved my hand.

The stream moved and I progressively played with it, soon invoking other stream and dancing with them, letting myself loosen and enjoy.

I only stopped when I felt tired and I blushed when the women politely clapped.

A little later, one of them noticed to me that my apppearence changed.

Looking at my reflection in the water, I noticed that some of my pink locks now were of a beautiful blue, the same as my eyes.

I didn't now how to reverse the operation so my hairs stayed like that.

When the six month ended, the egg cracked.

I was walking home with some water for Aisu who was now too big and too easily tired to move.

I was nearing the hut when the woman passed her head outside to motion me to run to her.

"Quick!" she called to me "The egg…"

Fearing the worst, I began running as much the heavy bucket would allow me and entered.

Aisu and Hiro were circling the dying fire and the egg was cracking up, moving in jolts.

"Come." Said Aisu, motioning to me to near the hearth.

I put the bucket and sat beside the pregnant woman, looking at the egg.

We waited like that a few minutes before the egg lighted, blinding us momentarily.

I felt a burst of power and a wind spread quickly, dying after a few seconds.

We opened our eyes again to see a baby dragon looking around curiously.

She had tender golden scales covering her body, reminding me of her mother. Her eyes were like two emeralds and I could see a little patch of earthy brown hairs on her wither.

Her eyes met mine and we stayed like that god now how long and she neared me tentatively on her new paws.

As if I wasn't controlling my movements, my hand neared her golden head and the moment the two touched, I sensed a wave of warmth swept through me.

"Okaa-san!" I heard a tiny voice say.

I blinked at the emerald eyes fixing me intently, knowing confusedly it was her.

"I'm…I'm not you mother you know." I said embarrassed.

I'm sure I saw the baby pout and a glint of hard determination appeared in her eyes.

"Okaa-san!" she said, a bit harder.

I know Aisu and Hiro were looking curiously at me, I being the only one to hear her apparently.

"No, no." I tried to say "Your true mother, the one who birthed you…"

"Okaa-san! Okaa-san! Okaa-san! Okaa-san!" yelled the dragon.

I winced at the tone and obliged, not wanting to have a headache so early in the morning.

"Okay, okay." I granted her "If you want."

The baby seemed satisfied and laid down in my laps before falling quickly asleep.

"What was that?" asked curiously Aisu after a silence.

I sighed and retailed the conversation to them.

"It's normal calf." Chuckled Hiro "You made a promise to her mother to take care of her hatchling. So it's normal she considers you her new mother."

"Am I not a bit too young to be a mother?" I asked, unsure.

Aisu smiled understandingly and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't worry." She smiled "I'm sure you will take care perfectly of the young one."

I smiled back, somewhat reassured and looked down at the little baby dragon sleeping.

"She needs a name you know." Said Hiro quietly.

Her golden scales were glinting softly in the sunlight seeping through the enter of the hut and looking at them, one name flashed in my mind.

"Haruki." I said softly, petting her.

"Sunshine." Translated Aisu "It's beautiful."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five

I passed the whole day with Haruki, watching her sleep and feeding her when she woke up. Earlier Hiro brought back a certain quantities of dried meat and milk. I looked at him questioningly but he only said I would need it. Now I understood.

Aisu helped me, showing to me how pre-chew the meat and how to heat the milk quite a lot so that it matched the baby's temperature.

Staying most of the day with the pregnant miko, we spoke a lot. Under her icy appearance, Aisu was a soft woman and, despite of the pain, was ecstatic to be a mother.

A few days later we heard screams outside and I gave a sleeping Haruki to Aisu before stepping carefully outside.

In the middle of the village was a dragon, bigger than the one I met in the forest during my arrival.

His scales were golden, like the dragon I met and Haruki. His mane and eyes were silver, glinting under the sun like his scales and his horns were yellow, twisted and thick.

His spines, to finish, were black, contrasting with the yellow, silver and golden colours.

He seemed in a bad mood and Hiro was at the brink of transformation. The villagers were running to their hut with their children in their arms.

"Where is my granddaughter!" boomed a voice "Don't dare hide her from me."

"We aren't hiding anything." Replied calmly Hiro "Are you talking about the hatchling that was born a few days ago?"

"Don't you dare lie to me!" cut the dragon, furious "You killed my daughter and are keeping my granddaughter as an hostage! I will not tolerate it!"

"Ie!" I yelled, running to him and Hiro.

"Haruko." Said warningly Hiro, moving protectively in front of me.

"It's okay." I said quietly to him, walking around him to stand in front of the dragon.

"We didn't kill your daughter nor are keeping your granddaughter as an hostage. Please, hear my story." I begged.

The dragon looked at me with suspicion but finally lay down to listen to me after a few agonising minutes.

I narrated him my story, leaving the time travel part apart. When I finished, I waited for him to say something. At a moment I though he didn't believed me but he sighed before saying:

"You seem truthful, but can you give me a proof?"

I was totally caught unprepared and was searching frantically when a formidable wail came out of Aisu and Hiro's hut

Without thinking, I turned around and hurried back in the hut. The moment she saw me, Haruki stopped her cries and called to me, trying to get out of Aisu's arms.

I took her and she calmed instantly, snuggling into me before falling asleep again.

I apologized to Aisu and got out again, nearing the dragon with Haruki in my arms.

"This is your granddaughter." I said, showing him the baby "Her name is Haruki."

"How do you know she is a girl?" asked, intrigued, the dragon;

"Her mother told me." I replied shortly.

"Does she call you mother?"

"Hai, I tried to refuse but she was vehement about it."

The dragon seemed thoughtful for a long time before asking another question:

"What is your name little hatchling?"

"Haruko."

The dragon observed me longly before declaiming solemnly.

"My daughter, Aiko, trusted you to raise Haruki, my granddaughter. Her soul merged successfully with yours and you're now part dragon. I can take you as my ward and teach you how to master your powers. Haruki will also need education when she's older. What do you say?"

I was silent for a moment before deciding to dig a bit more.

"What being your ward implies?"

"As my ward, you will have my mark and protection until you mate." He replied "In return you will respect and obey me."

I twitched at the mention 'obey', but put it aside and asked another question.

"Mate?"

The dragon looked surprised and Hiro answered for him.

"Mating is the equivalent of marrying. The only difference is that the mating creates a much deeper and stronger bound."

I had still many questions about it, but decided that it wasn't that important (I was only 19, which was meaning two in demon age). But I asked one last question:

"And what if I refuse?"

"I will not force you to come with me. But I have to take Haruki with me."

Fear gripped me and I looked worriedly at the baby sleeping in my arms.

"Okay." I said half heartedly, seeing a lot of advantages going with this solution "But I also want to stay here. I am the apprentice of Shizen, the head healer of the village. And Aisu will soon have her baby!"

"Hn." Said the dragon "I suppose I could keep you and Haruki with me for a given time and then let you at the village for the reminder of the year."

"Where I am from." I suggested "Scholars have their main holidays in summer."

After an hour of arguing, we finally agreed that during autumn and winter, I would study with the dragon, whose name I learned was Akio, and during spring and summer, I would stay at the village, studying with Shizen.

But before that, Akio decided he would wait for Haruki's tenth anniversary. At that time, the hatchling would know at least how to grip a spine to stay on someone's back during the fly.

During that time, he also asked me to master my transformation (apparently I could transform into a dragon) and to learn how to fly.

After Akio departed, the village's life returned to normal, the only difference being the more reserved look the villagers were directing toward me.

A few days later, Aisu lost her waters.

At that moment I was with her, feeding Haruki with hot milk when Aisu gasped in pain, clutching her swollen stomach in her hands. I saw a puddle of something transparent and sticky under her feet.

"Haruko! Quick! Go fetch Shizen, and Hiro!"

I secured Haruki in my arms and ran outside. Fortunately, Shizen was in her hut, mixing some herbs.

"Shizen-sama!" I yelled "Aisu! The baby! Lost her waters!"

In a second, Shizen had put together her remedies and was out, walking rapidly to Aisu's hut.

Hiro was a bit more difficult to find, but I localized him in the farthest field from the village.

"Hiro!" I puffed, putting my weight on my knees to regain my breath.

"What is it calf?" he asked, curious.

Having finally regained my breath, I said quickly:

"Aisu's giving birth!"

I had barely the time to finish that he was already gone, so I put myself up and ran back toward the hut.

There I found a little crowd, attracted by the painful cries of Aisu and Hiro, in front of the hut, walking back and forth.

He was breathing heavily, like a buffalo, and was wincing each time Aisu screamed.

I made my way through the crowd and put a hand on his arm. He looked down at me and I smiled reassuringly before passing him Haruki who was sleeping now, stunned by her recent meal.

With that done I entered the hut and immediately worried.

Aisu was extremely pale, sweating and breathing with difficulty. Furthermore, Shizen was preparing her knives.

"Shizen?" I whispered, seeing one of them enter the flame of a candle.

"The baby's too big to be birthed in normal ways." She said, still looking at her knife "But I can't open her."

"Why?' I asked.

"Because the energies are too instable." Replied the old demoness "If I was to do it, both the child and the mother would die."

"But if we do nothing, they will die too!" I said, panicked, having checking her rapidly "Her body will not resist any longer."

Shizen said nothing, only looked sadly at the dying woman.

'No.' I though 'This can't end like that.'

My hand wandered on her belly, and I now could clearly see the conflict of energies.

'Why can't they merge, why?'

"Why!" I exclaimed, frustrated, angered and desperate.

This was when I felt a change and a soft white glow got out of my hand put on Aisu's belly.

I didn't understand what was happening, but the results were flagrant.

Soon, the two fighting energies began swirling together in a never ending circle. They formed at the end the yin and yang symbol and calmed, settling.

I felt suddenly very tired and barely noticed when Shizen put me aside on a cushion and fell asleep in the middle of Aisu's cries.

I woke up much later with a yawn and noticed Haruki was at my side, looking at me.

"Okaa-san!" she exclaimed happily.

I smiled and petted her when all came back to me.

'Oh no' I gasped, standing up abruptly.

I did it too abruptly so I had to sit back, dizziness washing over me. But I had the time to see Aisu sleeping peacefully in her bed, Hiro sitting near her with a bundle in his arms.

"Ah, you're awake." He said when he heard my none too discreet wake "Come and see."

He was smiling, a rare event, so I deduced everyone was alive and got up to look at the new born.

He physically looked exactly like his father. Even if he was a baby, he was very big. But his hairs and eyes were more his mother's. His hairs were dark chestnut, curling around his head and his eyes were deep brown circled with a ring of black.

I could see clearly that he was an hanyo by his two tiny horns at the top of his head. The only false note was that the horns were pure white.

He cooed when he saw me and his hands, young yet strong, gripped my finger with force.

"He's beautiful." I whispered, not wanting to disturb the wonderful peace I felt in the room.

"Hai." Whispered back Hiro with a soft glint in his eyes and an equally soft smile on his lips.

I felt overwhelmed with happiness and peace and smiled softly too.

"As he a name yet?"

"Ie, we're still searching."

I looked at the sleeping baby, trying to help them.

"He needs a strong name." I said "How about…Kiseki?"

"Miracle?" said Hiro, testing the name "…Yes, it fits him."

He told me afterward that when I fell asleep, Shizen successfully operated Aisu and helped Kiseki out, saving both mother and son.

Aisu, exhausted, fell asleep and was since sleeping deeply. So Hiro took care of the baby and Haruki for us.

We waited for a few days before Aisu woke up with frequent visit from Shizen to make sure the mother and son were healthy. She approved of the name and we slowly came back to our routine life, though it took time for Aisu to recover fully from her birthing.

There was a point I forgot to say when Aisu birthed Kiseki. The strange white glow I saw was in fact my void power. It was very powerful so it was normal I was tired afterwards and when I woke up, a few days later I noticed my eyes and hairs had changed again.

This time my hairs were pure white, glistening under the sun and my eyes were glassy white with hints pale pink and lilac reflections.

I had to wait five full years before trying to fly because Haruki was too dependant on me. But after those five years, she was able to walk properly and for a quite long time. She was also a bit more independent and I began to leave her with Kiseki, who was now one year old in appearance.

So when Haruki became a bit more independent and with the help of an eagle demon, I learned progressively how to fly.

At first flying was very difficult, there were a lot of currants in the sky and I had to know how strong, where and when they were. I also had to learn clouds and weathers, as they could influence the fly.

I was curious of what I would look in my dragon and was answered when I finally mastered the transformation.

In fact, my scales and eyes were respectively the colour of my hair and human eyes. My mane was golden, my horns browns and my spines lilac purple.

Four years after my lessons started, my sensei deemed me ready and stopped abruptly to teach me. To not loose the habit of flying, I decided to fly one hour per day, getting farther faster with each passing day.

In her eighth year, Haruki took the habit of accompanying me on my flights, clinging on one of my spine in the hole between my back and my long neck. There she was protected from the wind and the cold.

We were currently in one of our daily flight when Haruki called to me:

"Look okaa-san!"

She was pointing downward and I followed her mussel to an old man who was on the little path on the side of the mountain, looking around helplessly with big protruding eyes and scratching the back of his scalp.

'He looks lost.' I wondered 'Perhaps he needs help?'

I flew down carefully because of the powerful gasps of winds between two high mountains and touched softly the ground beside the man.

The man turned to look stupidly at me, saying nothing, only gaping. Haruki climbed down. "Sir, are you lost? Can I help you?"

The old man continued to gap and I was getting irritated when he finally spoke:

"You-You're a-a dragon!"

"Err, more or less." I replied, unsure.

"Can I have some of your scales and mane?" he suddenly asked, nearing me in a second.

"I don't know.." I hesitated "If you want a few hairs of my mane, I'm okay, but my scales…"

"Hm, only your mane then?" said the old man "I'll take it. It's not everyday that I meet a dragon."

I transformed quickly and he took a few strands of golden mane before asking for my name.

"My name is Haruko and this is Haruki. And what is your name?"

"I'm Totosai, the blacksmith. I create every kind of weapons for powerful demons."

"Are you lost, Totosai-san?"

"Hai." Said the old man, embarrassed "I was walking home and lost my way."

"Perhaps you could get on my back." I proposed "From the sky you could locate your home."

"Good idea." Totosai said, nodding his approval.

I transformed and let Totosai and Haruki climb on me before taking off.

I did bigger and bigger circles around the point I found Totosai and soon he pointed a space in a crater.

The volcano wasn't awake, but the crust of earth was very thin and crackled. I couldn't land on the ground so I stopped a few meters above it. I was searching a way for Totosai to get on the ground when he jumped down, landing on the earth with a loud thump.

"Thank you!" he yelled from under "Come and see me sometimes!"

I nodded and flew higher to get back to the village. We were gone for too long.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter six

**Petitefeeme: And here is another chapter! ^_^ Currently I'm passing my exam but don't worry I'll still post a chapter each week. And if I pass my exams, I'll post two chapters in each of my story! **

**Haruko : And we want to thank Kate-chan for her enthusiastic reviews. Thank you Kate-chan =) ! Also, two known characters will appear in this chapter. ^^ **

**Petitefeeme: I don't own any of Inuyasha's characters, just my OCs! Read and enjoy!**

Seventy eight years passed since my encounter with Totosai and the beginning of I and Haruki's education with Akio-sama.

When I first entered the dragon's main den, I immediately didn't like the place. It was dark, a bit damp and made me claustrophobic after an hour.

The only place that caught my eyes was the council headquarters.

The dragons were living in a mountains' chain and in a deep gorge with eleven peaks emerging out of nowhere for the dark space under, the eleven dragons representing the council received us.

The eleven had each a different scales' colour. Akio-sama told me they were also representing the eleven elements and powers.

After a few hours of debating, they accepted us in the community and our training began.

I don't know how it was for Haruki, but I was sure it was light for she was still young. As for me, each night I fell asleep right after touching the ground (I was forced to live there in my dragon form).

First I was given to an old dragon demoness who was in fact Akio-sama's mother. She taught me all I needed to know about dragons and other demons' customs.

After that Akio-sama himself taught me how to fly properly and also the basics of fighting in the air.

I spoke to him about my changing hairs and eyes and he immediately understood. He explained to me that if my features could change, that was meaning I had more than one or two bendings.

We did some tests and I discovered that I could use all eleven powers.

Of course I was more at ease with a few of them and some were giving me headaches so difficult they were for me to use. And for the moment using more than two of them would tiring me greatly.

After a lot of pressure from me and Akemi, Akio permitted me to learn a few things like dancing, music, fighting, politics and economy.

I was very good with daggers, quickly developing a fighting style around them. I also liked using senbons, a bow and a naginata.

True, the dragon den was the place I grew up and did my studies (I particularly liked their huge library), but I was never fully accepted. Sure the dragon were above racism and were polite, but there weren't accepting me fully, I wasn't fully a dragon after all.

Unfortunately it was the same with Haruki. Being with me all the time, she surprised everyone when she transformed in a human form. Plus, me being her model, she wasn't submissive and compliant. Like me she loved being free and independent.

In the village, my situation was a bit better but it wasn't homey ever. I was highly respected because I was a great healer, and a great teacher, but it was all.

Seeing the state of education (I wasn't really surprised but still), I decided to do something.

First I taught everyone how to read and write with more or less success. Then, each morning, I was teaching all children from 30 to 40 (which was more or less in human year 6 to 8). Before that they were too young and after that they had to help their parents or learn their future job.

I was also teaching self defence, the basic manipulation of weapons and to recognize simple healing plant, as well as how to give first aid.

When I turned 98 years old, my apprenticeship with Shizen-sama stopped, but I continued to help her.

I was now 108 years old, an age I never though to reach while looking like an eleven years old girl. When I finally got control over the colours of my hairs, I decided to colour them the way they were before all of these crazy things began. So my hairs usually are dark brown and my eyes light green. That was meaning I had an almost constant connection with the earth and nature around me (which is why I mostly go somewhere barefoot). With this appearance I was able to train intensively with those two elements which were my worst with fire.

I was currently outside the mountain's ring protecting the village in search of a few herbs that couldn't be found around the village for Shizen-sama.

Her age was catching to her and she had more difficulties moving than before, even with her remedies.

So here I was, walking down a dirt path while singing a song softly.

My daughter Haruki was dancing lightly in front of me, a slight bounce in her steps.

She was a big girl now, looking like a nine years old girl (she was 88 now), long and smooth golden hairs shining under the sun's beam.

Each time I looked at her, I could see her real mother in her dark green eyes. This fiery look and sunny attitude was what defined her being.

She laughed and twirled, I smiled and sang a bit louder.

Though they were sparse, living in little village and all, I greatly enjoyed time alone with my daughter. When I was sad or depressive thinking of my family, she would find me and bring the sun and warmth I needed and I truly thanked her and loved her for that.

The peaceful atmosphere I and Haruki were in was however broken when we heard a thunderous growl.

My daughter, curious as ever, bolted almost immediately to investigate.

"Wait Haruki!" I exclaimed before running after her, careful to not dirty the hem of my kimono.

Soon I came upon a clearing were two demons were fighting. One dragon and one inu yokai.

"Isn't that a messenger from the ryu clan?" asked my daughter, pointing to the silver dragon.

I decided to stop their fight and tapped my foot on the floor.

Almost immediately a big crack appeared between the two protagonists and creepers like plants appeared, forcing the two to separate.

"Stay behind me." I ordered Haruki before walking to them.

My daughter followed me, knowing when to be silly and when to obey without question.

"What's the meaning of this?" I asked in an authoritative tone "Since when messengers fight?"

"I apologize for my behaviour." Said the dragon in a deep voice after a moment, bowing his head slightly "I have a message from Akio-sama."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Akio-sama will be late to take you and Hikari-sama this season. There was a matter he had to see to first and it is taking him longer than necessary."

"And what is this important matter?" I asked, half expecting to not receive an answer.

"This is a secret matter I myself don't know anything about." Replied the messenger before taking off.

I huffed in frustration before turning to the inu demon.

"I'm apologizing on the dragon's behaviour." I said in an official tone "Are you wounded anywhere?"

"No." said simply the demon before turning and walking away.

He had long silver hairs with blue highlights kept in a braid and dark amber eyes. He was wearing a silky white ensemble. He seemed of royalty but of a low class one because of the lack of mark on his forehead.

'What a strange demon.' I though before being distracted by Haruki who tugged at my kimono's sleeve.

"So ojii-sama isn't coming to get us?" she asked, unsure

"Not now." I answered "He will be a bit late. But I can train you no problem until you meet your instructors."

The nine years old girl nodded silently before following me back in the woods.

We found the herbs we were searching for and we transformed into our dragon forms.

Before we returned to the village, I had to pass by Totosai to give him his medicine.

Staying all days in his forge, the relatively ageing demon had a bad cough. I took it upon me to bring him some strong cough medicine whenever the chance arose.

"Go back to the village." I told Haruki who had the bag full of herbs "Bring this to Shizen-sama. I need to visit Totosai to give him his medicine."

"Why can't I come with you." Whined the golden scaled young dragon.

"Because you don't control you power enough to harden and cool off the ground around Totosai's place." I answered "And I'm not powerful enough to do it for the two of us. I will not be long dear. And you told me you wanted to annoy Kiseki before dinner."

"I just want to play with him." Said innocently my daughter.

I chuckled before telling her that I would come back before sunset and setting off.

Approaching Totosai's place, I changed my silver scales for dark red ones and the rest of my features changed from silver into a dark brown.

I landed softly on the ground near Totosai's hut (or what he used as a hut) and transformed back.

I only noticed the demon sitting in front of Totosai's hut when I finished.

"Oh, it's you." I said "I suppose you're here to commission a sword from Totosai. Did he accept?"

He didn't answer me so I shrugged and entered the skeleton house.

"The dragon!" exclaimed Totosai when he saw me "Is mini-you with you?"

"No Haruki isn't with me and how many time do I have to tell you that my name is Haruko." I told him, exasperated with his silly ways.

He just looked stupidly at me and I sighed before giving him his medicine.

"This is for your cough." I told him, now used to his forgetting mind "Take one spoon of this syrup morning and evening."

I couldn't resist to ask: "Why is there an inu yokai sitting at your doorstep?"

"Really?" asked Totosai, scratching his head.

I almost fell over, but sighed and got up, dusting my kimono.

I said goodbye to Totosai and bowed politely to the demon sitting outside before transforming and taking off in the village's direction.

I sat on a fallen trunk, looking after the young children who were playing in the coloured fallen leaves.

Sometimes the wind would pick up, creating a little whirlwind much to their delight.

My gaze turned to Hikari who was making a leaf crown with a few of her friends.

I was very worried. Autumn had come two weeks ago and still no sign of Akio-sama.

Of course I hadn't voiced my fears to Haruki, but the child was anything but stupid, and knew something was wrong.

I was distracted from my sombre thoughts by Haruki who neared me with a colourful crown of dry leaves.

"For you." She simply said, giving the crown to me.

I smiled to thanks her and took the leaves contraption before putting it on my head.

At that moment a powerful wind came down to us, the fallen leaves literally taking off the ground much to the delight of the children.

I looked up to see the messenger dragon from before landing softly, crushing the leaves under him with a soft sound.

"I have a message from the dragon council." He said to me before eyeing the children around me who were looking at him in awe "This is a private matter."

I nodded before sending the children home, even Haruki who pouted but obeyed under my stern stare.

Once that was done I turned to the messenger and waited.

"As you know." Began the brown scaled dragon "Akio-sama and a squad of dragons went to investigate disturbances at one of our stronghold in the east. It appeared that some turncoats had invaded it in search of a dangerous weapon sealed there. Akio-sama and his squad had just arrived when the seal broke, letting the weapon loose."

There was a silence before the dragon continued.

"This weapon is a sword called Sou'unga, the sword of the underworld. It had the ability to open a path to hell and has a mind of its own. Where ever the sword pass, it leaves chaos, death and destruction. Akio-sama and his squad fought bravely, but in the end, only the youngest of them came back alive to tell us the story."

The implication of his words crashed down to me and I leaned on the bark of the fallen trunk behind me, my eyes wide.

"Akio-sama is dead?" I asked in a whisper.

"I'm sorry." Said the dragon, bowing slightly his head "After what happened, the dragon council decided to close its doors to the world for some time. You and Haruki are welcomed."

"What?" I whispered "No!"

I became angry knowing that the dragons were going into hiding without doing anything to stop Sou'unga.

"You have to stop the sword! It is the dragons' responsibility!"

"It isn't my decision to take." Replied evenly the dragon.

I knew when I was fighting a lost battle. I huffed in frustration and annoyance before replying:

"I decline your offer." I said with a cold voice "You can return to your council."

I walked away and heard the dragon taking off in the air.

When I got to the village, I found Haruki annoying Kiseki while he was practicing with a wooden sword.

The boy was the same age as Haruki, but while my daughter looked like a nine years old girl, Kiseki looked like a twelve years old boy. He looked even older than me with my ten years old body.

This was the difference between hanyos and demons. The latest was ageing a lot slower than a hanyo. But that didn't stop him and Haruki to be friends.

However at this moment Kiseki was ready to pummel Haruki with his wooden sword. But despite his superiority in training and age, Haruki laughed while dodging almost effortlessly (which wasn't really calming the boy's temper).

I smiled at this show of weird friendship between the two before stepping in.

"Enough you two. Haruki you should know not to disturb Kiseki when he is training. And Kiseki, you have to control your emotions better than that if one day you want to be a good warrior."

Kiseki, pouted and looked away, ashamed, and Haruki smiled sheepishly and apologetically before running to me.

"So okaa-san." She asked me curiously "What the dragon wanted to talk about?"

The previous sort of serene feeling that filled me earlier evaporated instantly and I asked Kiseki to leave us before sitting with my daughter on a rock.

It was really hard, seeing her usually joyful face tear up.

She threw herself against me and cried for hours, wetting my kimono.

I would never forget the sound of her cries and the desperate face she made when I announced that her grandfather would never come for her again.

I also would remember my helplessness as I only could hold her tightly against me.

When she finally fell into a restless slumber, the sun was going down.

I brought her back into our hut (Hiro built up one for me when I turned 70) and put her gently in bed before going to wash myself in the river.

Dragons' tears were really hot, and they didn't really go well with cotton.

So I washed myself quickly before changing into a white under kimono and a black outer kimono with dark red roses embroidered on it.

I tied the whole thing with a dark red slash and went back in the hut, lying beside Haruki and hugging her still shivering form close to my body before falling asleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter seven

**Petitefeeme: my written exams are finished. No I have to do my oral exams. Wish me luck! Here is another chapter! Read and enjoy! ^_^ **

The week that followed was anything but restful for me.

First, Haruki didn't sleep well and would wake more than one time in the middle of the night in tears and sometimes trashing around because of a nightmare.

When I asked her if she wanted to go live with the dragons, she began screaming and hugging me like crazy.

It took one whole hour to calm her and even after; every time I would leave she would make a fuss and make me promise to return.

And during the few hours of sleep I could get, I would dream of the same thing.

I would see a peaceful scenery transforming into a decaying battlefield because of the apparition of a sword (which I suspected, could be Sou'unga).

Fear and despair would grip my heart, almost suffocating, until a light appeared, letting the silver haired demon I already saw twice before enter.

I would wake up drenched in sweat, panting, and the following day I would be tired from morning to evening.

I finally snapped at the end of the week and decided to do something.

I had bags under my eyes and was tired, but I new I would continue to not sleep well until I resolved the problem.

So I made for Haruki a strong sleeping infusion. She wasn't sleeping well too and a full night of sleep would do her some good.

That done, I put a dark blue warm upper large kimono with red arabesques embroidered onto it as a cloak and transformed into an entirely silver dragon before taking off.

When I landed in front of Totosai, the silver haired demon was, surprisingly, still sitting in front of the old man's house.

He turned his head to me when I transformed but looked somewhere immediately after.

I hugged my kimono-cape tighter against me before walking inside. Even if Totosai lived in a crater, the nights in early winter could be cold.

"You should enter with me." I asked to the mute demon "This also concern you."

He made no movement to indicate that he heard me, so I shrugged it off before entering.

Waking Totosai wasn't an easy task, and after it I deeply apologized to him. He made a fire and sat in front of me.

I tried to tell him what happened to Akio-sama and couldn't help but explode in tears.

I had to take care of Haruki since I learned that he was dead, so I didn't have time to mourn myself. That aside, it was fun to see Totosai's face when he tried to calm me.

It took some time but when I was able to talk again, I told him about my dream.

"We have to stop that sword Totosai." I said my tone almost desperate "If not, I'm afraid that the world will end up the same as in my dream."

"Hm." Said Totosai, thinking "Sou'unga sure isn't a piece of cake. I'm afraid that it can't be destroyed."

"What are we gonna do then." I asked, this time really desperate.

"The only way to stop its destruction path is to tame the spirit within the sword. But it would be really difficult alone…"

He seemed thoughtful for a moment before taking a huge pair of tongs and looking at the someone behind me.

"Come here boy." He said "I will make you two swords. But only if you promise on your honour to help this young dragon."

I turned to see the young demon just behind us.

"Why two swords?" he asked.

It was the first time I heard the sound of his voice, apart from his 'hn'. His voice was very grave for someone who seemed to be only 16 years old.

"To balance the power of Sou'unga." Explained Totosai. "You'll need a power opposite and another one to act as a buffer between the two. But I'll need some objects other than your fangs."

The demon said nothing, just looked at him expectantly.

"First, I need one of your white scales young dragon." He asked, turning to me.

My eyes widened. A white scale was extremely powerful and even if the demon appeared in my dreams, how could I be sure he would use it with good intention?

I turned to observe him carefully. His amber eyes were so cold and unfeeling. The white power meant creativity, which in turn would mean having to feel.

But we had to stop Sou'unga, it was extremely important to assure a better future for the next generation.

For my little Haruki.

I stood and stepped next to him, looking at him straight in the eyes.

"What is your name?" I asked very seriously.

He seemed to understand it and answered: "Toga."

"Then, Toga-san." I asked, extremely seriously "If I give one of my scales to create one of your swords, you need to promise me on your honour to only use it to protect."

I knew noble demons took honour very seriously; like a way of life or something akin to that.

"I promise on my honour to only use the sword created from you scale for protection." He answered with gravity.

I searched in his eyes and saw the determined glint that proved me his sincerity.

I relaxed slightly and told Totosai in couldn't transform inside.

So we went outside and I changed my body into that of a dragon, only changing my red scales into white one, the rest of my features brown or red.

Extracting one of the scales of my tail (I totally refused to have a more vital part bare) wasn't a peace of cake. And it hurt like hell.

But after Totosai extracted it and while I was nursing my wound, he said.

"For the next sword, I'll need the tears of an angel."

We looked at him as if he was crazy (which in a sense he was) and he sighed before saying.

"I heard of a temple hidden in the highest mountain in the North. It is said to hold treasures never seen on earth. I think it is a good path to walk on if you want to collect angel's tears. Good luck. For tomorrow I will forge one of the swords."

He disappeared in his hut, leaving me bewildered.

'He isn't going to accompany us?' I though irritated 'He's really an old geezer.'

"Don't count on him unless it is related to swords and weapons." Said Toga.

He looked toward North before adding:

"North is the territory of lizards and snakes. Inu demons aren't warmly welcomed there."

"Reptiles yokais then." I said, transforming back "I myself am a dragon yokai. They will listen."

"You're only a half one." He injected, doubtful.

"Believe me." I said, a hint of a smirk on my face "They will listen to me."

Since Akio-sama took me in, I was accustomed to people looking down on me because I was only a half demoness. So when I wanted for them to listen now, I knew what to do.

He still seemed somewhat unconvinced, but he let this matter slide.

"I'll return in the currant of the afternoon." I finally said "I will probably take my daughter with me."

"It isn't a wise decision." Toga said.

"I have no choice for the moment." I simply answered before transforming and taking off toward the village.

Haruki was quite excited with the prospect of travelling. At least it was taking her mind off mourning.

I passed most of the morning preparing the bags. With some tissue and a lot of lessons from Aisu, I was able to create two bags quite similar to those of my time.

I packed some medicine I made, and some Shizen-sama gave me. I packed some soap and the lemongrass essence I liked to put in my hairs. I also chose two towels, a comb made of demon bone Aisu gave to me on my 30th birthday and a few ribbons to tie our hairs.

I also took two warm outer kimonos (one butter yellow with white butterflies and one and one watery blue with golden circles), two normal outer kimonos (one pearl white with golden arabesques and one dark blue with white ribbons), two plain inner kimonos (one red and one white), two slashes (one dark blue and one pearl white) with some tabi socks and two scarves (one white and one black) I made myself for me and Haruki in case something happened.

I also took some blankets, my ocarina, my little lyre and some cooking tools.

I allowed Haruko to take some of her toys and her favourite book. But I also forced her to take her learning tools (some books on various subjects, some papers, ink and pens, a map of Japan and a little notebook).

I don't know how all of that entered our two bag packs, but it did and in the morning I woke up Haruki early.

Together we bathed and I braided tightly mine and Haruki's hairs before dressing up.

I didn't want to travel in kimono (I wasn't practical at all). So I chose blue dark hakamas and a light blue haori for me, and dark red hakamas and a lightly silvery haori for Haruki.

But I knew females in men's wears would attract attention, so I chose a beige outer kimono with white flowers for me and a red outer kimono with white arabesques for Haruki.

I tied it all with a dark blue slash for me and a red one for Haruki.

To the slashes I tied our flasks and a dagger for Haruki.

The little girl's education was far from complete, but she could more or less defend herself with her powers and a dagger. And it reassured me a bit knowing she was armed.

As for me, I tied my bows and arrows' set, as well as my naginata and my set of daggers, presents from Akio-sama (he also offered the dagger to Haruki).

At one o'clock, Haruki and I landed in a clearing not far from Totosai's crater.

I had flared a bit my aura so Toga was soon here, a sword on his hips.

I looked curiously at it and he noticed before answering.

"This is Tetsaiga, it was forged with your scale."

He draw it out of its sheath and gave it to me. I took it carefully in my hands and the sword hummed softly, glowing white for a moment.

Satisfied, I gave it back and asked Haruki:

"So dear, where is the North?"

The little girl concentrated before pointing to her right.

"Good." I complimented, patting her head before walking "Let's go."

Toga was for the most a silent companion. Sometimes Haruki would skip to him and ask him questions, and he would answer shortly before falling into his muteness.

When we stopped for a little pause during lunch, while I and Haruki were nibbling on some treats I made, Toga would try to make his sword work (without much success).

When we stopped in the evening, I would go hunt something while Haruki would search for aromatic herbs or mushrooms (I consisted a good training for her to recognise any edible plants).

I would after prepare whatever we found and offer some to Toga. He would always refuse, but I still offered each time out of politeness.

After eating I would wash the bowls while Haruki begun her lessons. After drying them and putting them away, I would help her until it was time for bed.

The little girl was currently reading her book while I was meditating. Toga was nowhere to be seen, having a knack for nightly walk.

I suddenly sensed something that didn't reassure me at all. There was a horde of demons, probably bandits, running in our direction.

There weren't per say powerful, but they were numerous and I was only in a ten years old body.

"Dear." I said calmly to Haruki, not wanting to worry her "Could you transform and go search for Toga-san please? It is late and I'm a bit worried."

"Okay kaa-san." The little complied before transforming and taking off.

Now that she was out of the way, I could do something.

The question was, what?

The problem was that they were really fast and even using my powers, they had endurance while I could still easily tire.

One of my options was to fight, but they were quite a number and I was only 108, not fully grown up.

So my only chance to survive relatively unscathed was to out smart them.

I hide in the shelves of the trees made my presence invisible.

I started using my powers to grow a specific sort of plants. The only problem was that it was one of my powers which gave me terrible headache and I had to work very slowly.

While I was working, the group arrived and stopped in the clearing.

"There's no one here." Grumbled an ogre, swinging his axe back and forth in annoyance.

Someone replied something to him but I was too concentrated, the beginning of a headache appearing already.

'Come on, just a little bit more.' I though while the headache began invading my head.

Finally the plants were grown up and their flowers opened, releasing their toxins.

One after another, the bandits stumbled on the ground, unconscious.

I dried the flowers and sighed, leaning on the bark beside me to try to reduce the throbbing headache pounding between my eyes.

I barely managed to dodge the demon that sneaked behind me.

I grasped the wound on my shoulder and landed on the ground, before leaping again away from another blow.

Now that I could see my attacker, I noticed he was a tiger demon. He wasn't that much fast or extraordinary strong, but he was apparently smarter than his pears and I was myself restricted because of my pounding headache.

I took out my daggers (my naginata had stayed on the floor, not practical to hide in the trees with) and tried to counter his attack, but this demon was a mass of muscle while I was probably a hundred of pounds lighter than him.

So in the end he shoved me hardly onto a tree trunk and moved in for the final blow.

My eyes turned white and I create a shield to throw off the attacker.

He crashed somewhere and I took the chance to run.

Of course the demon was faster than me and caught up with me in no time, throwing me harshly to the ground.

I closed my eyes and prepared to feel pain only to feel a rush of wind near me.

I opened my eyes to see Toga sparring with the demon and Haruki rushing to me.

"Are you okay okaa-san?" she exclaimed, kneeling in front of me.

I flinched when her tone caused me more pain and said in a hushed voice:

"I'm okay don't worry sweetie. I need you to go find me my medicine for headache. Be careful the yokais there are just out cold, not dead."

She nodded before straightening and running to the clearing we settled in earlier for the night.

I turned to look at Toga and finally noticed that Tetsaiga was in a transformed state, meaning he had finally achieved some steps forward to master the sword.

The tiger demon was older and stronger than him, but the inu teen was holding his own very good.

Haruki soon was back with my bag and my gourd. She handed it to me and I rummaged through my bag for some medicine.

After swallowing the pill with water, I felt better and took care of my shoulder wound.

Haruki helped me while I changed into the dark blue outer kimono with white ribbons.

By the time I was finished, Toga dealt the final blow to the tiger demon and I told Haruki to close her eyes.

I used my earth power to burry the corpse and straightened.

"We should move a bit." I told him "All the demons in the clearing aren't dead."

We retrieved quickly our things and moved some miles more.

When we finally settled in another clearing, the night was advanced and Haruki was ready to fall asleep.

I quickly gave her a cover and she curled in a corner before falling asleep.

I gathered wood and lighted a fire before taking the blood covered kimono.

I discovered a little sewing kit and silently thanked Aisu before taking the blood off the tissue.

It was fresh so I didn't leave a stain that couldn't be dealt with a bit of water and soap.

I then mended as well as I could the cut.

"I saw what you did with the sword, congratulation." I said, concentrating on my sewing.

"It is only a tiny fragment of the sword's capacity." The inu replied.

"It's still an improvement." I replied "Progresses always begin with a first step."

He replied nothing, I awaited no answers. With almost one week travelling with him, I became slowly accustomed with his stoic silence.

Toga looked at his two female companions while they slept.

The more he travelled with them the more they intrigued him.

He met only one or two dragons in his travel, but they were always stuck up and haughty creatures, despite their politeness.

The little girl, Haruki, was the spitting picture of joy and innocence. More surprisingly, the girl possessed a human form. She was indeed powerful to achieve such a feat at barely 90 summers.

The love she held for Haruko was obvious.

Haruko was who intrigued him the most. She was apparently very well educated, smart, powerful, self-sufficient, gracious and gentle. She was what defined a true lady, and she had no more than 100 summers.

She seemed to have adopted fully little Haruki like a mother while she was a child herself. And he was astonished that she was more skilled than a lot of demoness she met.

What happened during the attack was even more intriguing.

He was walking, his mind wandering freely, when Haruki came to find him, saying that her mother had sent her to retrieve him.

He came back at a leisure pace only to find a bunch of comatose demons sprawled on the clearing's floor.

Of course Haruki immediately worried for her mother, even more so that they could smell her blood.

They trailed the scent and when he saw her on the floor about to be killed by that tiger, something snapped.

His beast awakened and his instincts kicked in, telling him to protect. He responded and the sword transformed.

He didn't know how, but somehow, Haruko, and probably her daughter as well, had succeeded into making him see them as pack, something that never happened before for nobody (even his best friend Akane wasn't granted such honour).

He didn't know if he really welcomed the feeling or not.

His thoughts were interrupted when Haruki woke up, saluted him before waking her mother (Haruko was a heavy sleeper).

**Petitefeeme: And here is the seventh chapter! I had fun writing this one because I love taking the little clues we have in Inuyasha about the past before the story and linking them with my story.**

**In Inuyasha, said hanyo couldn't use Tetsaiga until he told Kagome he would protect her. Well, in my story, it comes from the oath Toga made Haruko. XD**

**I hope you liked the little insight of Toga's mind at the end of the chapter. I wanted a different point of view to explain why Toga was able to use his sword (and understand a bit more how an inu's mind worked).**

**I will make other 'links' like that in later chapters. So stay stunned ;) **


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter eight

**Haruko: And here is the eighth chapter! **

**Petitefeeme (trying to get out of a mountain of revision paper): Too much…dates…too much…names…I'm gonna die!**

**Haruki: You can't! You have to post new chapters! **

**Petitefeeme (grumble under her breath): Egoistical child (out loud) If I have to post then help me out!**

**Haruko: Hehe…well, enjoy this chapter! By the end of it we should have extirpated the author out. **

"I think it is better to go see the Northern Lord first." I said to Toga.

We had eaten dinner, and I had just finished quizzing Haruki about climates in some parts of Japan. She was currently reading the first chapter of a book on the Western countries' economy and from time to time would ask me some clarification.

Toga didn't say anything, but seeing his lips so closely held together, I knew he was against it.

"If we continue on his land any longer without his permission, we're gonna be tracked like bandits." I explained for what seemed like the hundredth time "If we have his permission, it would be better. I'm sure I can convince him."

He snorted, showing that he was very annoyed with this decision. It took one whole hour and some interruptions from Haruki before he agreed.

By that time Haruki was already asleep so I joined her after tidying up things a bit.

::::

Finding the Northern lord wasn't that complicated. The moment we stepped within a mile from the northern shiro, we were intercepted by a patrol.

They were immediately hostile when they saw Toga but I stepped in and they almost grovelled at my feet when I let a bit of my aura leak out (dragon yokais were quite rare in the Northern court).

We were led into the castle and servants gave us rooms before telling us the Northern lord wanted to see me at dinner.

This engendered another argument between me and Toga. He wanted to accompany me at the banquet but I wanted him to stay with Haruki.

I won again (I don't know how I did it however) after much arguing (one sided from me of course, the demon only glared at me or said no occasionally) and pleading.

Servants came to me early to get me ready and Haruki made me promise to bid her goodnight before going to eat.

The servants helped me bath and after helped me dress (it took hours and I was sure they tried to drown me under layers of kimonos and kisodes). After much suffering from me (all the layers were heavy and uncomfortable), they finished with an apricot orange coloured kisode with a wormwood green coloured scenery woven on it showing a forest and an equally coloured, complicated obi.

All of the layers were made of silk, and I knew each were hand made, a true art peace of art each of them. This is why I was uncomfortable, afraid to wear them out.

The next thing was my hairs. I absolutely refused that the maids put oil in them (it was the style at that time) but I let them amuse themselves with my 'strange hairs' (hairs at that time were thick and heavy, mine were thick but really light compared to them, and of the lighter brown they ever saw (all the females with brown hairs have them really dark, mine were chestnut)).

They pulled them back into a complicated bun and ornated them with orange opals and a few equally orange chalcedonies. They put a white jade comb with a few green jades and light green sapphires imbedded into it, and they finished with pastel green and light orange sticks with some stones mentioned above dangling down.

I vehemently fought against the white paste they wanted to spread on my face like butter and only agreed to paint my lips light red and my eyelids pastel green.

They put orange bracelets made of the stones mentioned above and I let them give me a pair of tabi socks and a flexible pair of sandals. I refused the rings they wanted to put on my fingers and went to say goodnight to Haruki.

"Wow, okaa-san!" exclaimed Haruki when she saw me "You look like a princess!"

"Thank you dear." I said, smiling and bending to her little to kiss her cheek, the gesture taking much more time because I was mindful of my clothes and the red on my lips "Now it's time to go to sleep."

She smiled and hopped in her bed. I noticed she had been bathed and dressed into a pastel green yukata tied with an orange slash.

'Green and orange must be the tendency.' I though humorously before heading out, nodding to Toga before letting the servant waiting for me outside lead me to the dining room.

The dinner was uneventful, most of the nobles present looking at me with curiosity, fear, admiration or wonder.

To my surprise, the Northern lord, a cayman yokai, was agreeable to talk with, and his mate was very polite and intelligent, if not a little stiff.

The only bad point was a second, or perhaps even third zone dragon yokai seated only a few seats from me.

He had light purple hairs and dark red eyes. He never stopped to scrutinize me, even when I bowed to the Northern lord and lady before following a servant back in my room.

After struggling out of all the layers, removing the ornament in my hairs and washing my face, I brushed my hairs a bit before braiding them and going to check on Haruki.

The servant had given me a simple apricot coloured yukata and I put on another yukata, this time wormwood coloured, to cross the corridor, the night being fresh.

The little angel was sleeping soundlessly and smiled at her before turning to Toga who was sitting in front of the fire.

"Was everything alright?" I asked, straightening to go sit near him.

He was silent a moment before answering me:

"Someone tried to enter Haruki's room."

Immediately worried, I turned to her but he reassured me:

"She is unarmed and barely woke up. I suspect someone put some sleeping powder in her food. The individual was masked and didn't reveal his scent or aura, but I was able to defeat him."

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"I am uninjured." He replied shortly.

I nodded before getting up to go check on Haruki. I kneeled in front of her and my hands glowed green.

I passed them lightly on her body, checking for any poison in her system. Fortunately I only found a sleeping powder and erased any trace of it before stopping and pinching my nose, a headache forming quickly.

I excused myself and returned to my room to take some headache medicine.

When I returned, I sat on the bed and stroked Haruki's hairs.

"I was able to get an audience with the lord tomorrow morning." I told Toga "If everything goes well, we will be able to go tomorrow afternoon or the morning after."

He nodded silently and I stopped here, not wanting to talk about the purple haired dragon demon. After all he only stared at me longer than politeness permitted. Perhaps he would stop tomorrow.

I ignored the gut feeling telling me otherwise and laid with my daughter, not wanting to leave her side after what happened.

::::

I was woken up early this morning to once again be prepared (to me, it was closer to torture than anything else).

This time the last kisode they put on me was apricot with mahogany brown birds and mountains woven on the fabric. They put my hairs into a complicated braided bun decorated with the same orange opals and chalcedonies, but they changed the green ones for some brown topazes and jaspers, and the comb they put in front of the bun was made of gold with a few brown citrines imbedded into it.

They put golden bangles on my wrists and painted my eyelids golden this time.

I really felt like a doll, but I couldn't much protest so I let the maids giggle and their imagination run wild before letting a servant show me the way to the Lord's study.

The lady was also there, reading some scrolls on a low table beside her mate's.

I bowed and sat as much as I could with all those layers around my body.

"So, Haruko-san." Said the lord, looking up from his papers to look at me "What is your request?"

"I simply wish to travel within your land without problems from your patrols. I do not wish to fight your soldiers every day because one of my companions is an inu."

"I will give orders." Agreed the lord "You will not be bothered during your travel in my lands. That I swear."

"When do you plan on leaving?" asked the lady.

"Probably this afternoon." I answered "We need to depart as soon as possible."

"Then I request that you and your daughter have lunch with me." Asked the lady "I haven't seen her yet and from what I heard she must be a sweet little one!"

I smiled good heartedly and agreed before taking my leave.

I was going back to my rooms to see Haruki and Toga when a servant stepped in front of me before bowing low.

"My master, Ryukotsusei-sama, invite you in the garden for a walk."

I hesitated, I didn't know this man (err…demon), and I wanted to go find Haruki.

"He also told me it wouldn't be long, that he had just a few questions to ask you."

"Well…how can I refuse a noble's offer?" I said uncertainly, asking it more than stating the fact.

I let the servant lead me to a public garden (which reassured me a bit). There I saw the purple haired dragon (and my worries resurfaced tenfold). After asking the servant to go search for Toga and Haruki, I gathered my courage and stepped forward.

I stopped beside and bowed politely.

"Ryukotsusei-sama." I greeted politely "How can I be of assistance to you?"

"I must apologize for bothering you while, I'm sure, you are extremely busy." He said in a horrible sugar coated voice, taking my hand and kissing it "But I was merely curious about the presence of a powerful dragon demoness such as you in this court. I though that your kind lived away from the world."

"That is quite true." I said, taking my hand from his clutch and discreetly rubbing in on my inner sleeves "However, I am not like most dragons."

It was a known fact for me now that people tended to forget I wasn't entirely a dragon demoness. I wasn't showing a lot of hanyo's traits. My ears were normal and my scent and aura were hidden most of the time by reflex.

"How so?" he asked curiously.

I wanted to share my past with him as much as I wanted to declare my love for him.

"I wasn't traditionally raised." I simply said.

Seeing his curious wondering eyes sparkle, I added:

"Ryukotsusei-sama, while I am flattered by the interest you are giving me, I don't want to share my life with anyone. Now if you'll excuse me."

I began walking away but he held me by the wrist, quite harshly might I had.

I turned to him again and narrowed my eyes dangerously.

"Let me go." I said slowly, stressing each word.

"Who are you exactly?" He asked me none to gently "I sense your demonic powers but there isn't only that."

I began to scowl at him and tugged on my wrist, only to have him holding it tighter.

I was beginning to be afraid when I heard someone call my name.

A moment later, I was shoved behind Toga, who had Ryokutsei's hand in a crushing grip, growling threateningly at him.

"Okaa-san!" exclaimed Haruki, throwing herself in my open arms "Are you alright?"

I nodded while smiling reassuringly at her before turning to the two males.

Ryokutsei had taken back his hand and was slowly walking away backwards.

He sent one last glare before turning, which earned him a dark glare from me and a growl from Toga.

He finally disappeared from our view and I sighed before saying:

"Thank you."

Toga turned to me with a reproachful look.

"Why were you with him?" he asked me in a disapproving tone

"I'm sorry." I apologized "He invited me and made so that I couldn't refuse. I did sent a servant to warn you though."

He growled softly (perhaps in annoyance) before turning, walking back inside.

Haruki and I followed him.

"The lady wants Haruki and I to share her lunch with her." I said to Toga and my daughter "After that we will be able to go."

I heard Toga grumble ahead of us, in resignation or relief I didn't know. A few hours later, Haruki was working her charms on the Lady of the Northern lands, who seemed totally bewitched.

I looked at the serpent females as she smiled fondly at my golden haired daughter who was actively describing the exciting things she saw on our travel, which with her could be anything and everything.

I personally looked upon the maids dressing her, and was able to direct them so that my little girl wouldn't suffer the same fate as me.

The green eyed child had on fewer layers than me, the last one being a mahogany brown furisode with apricot orange leaves falling around the sleeves and shoulders, tied with an apricot orange obi (the child wanted to look like me so the maids humoured her).

I insisted that they put no heavy decorations or make up, so they simply put her hairs in a bun with a mass of flowers woven into them. I recognised some orange cosmoses, pale orange gerberas; orange, almost red marigolds and orange poppies.

But she absolutely wanted a bracelet like me so I allowed her to wear a pair of thin gold bangles like me.

Lunch was pleasant enough (though I wondered how Toga's stay here was), and soon we were back in our simpler travelling garments, ready to go.

The Northern lord apparently understood I was a scholar and gifted me with a few precious scrolls and the Northern lady offered me a comb.

It was actually practical, made of demon bones with a bit of gold imbedded into the hems.

I thanked the couple and we departed.

Toga hadn't received anything, but at least they were polite to him and he was well treated during our stay, so I was glad (and he didn't really need anything after all).

Haruki was allowed to keep the golden bangles on her wrists. She apparently loved them and decided to wear one of them on one ankle.

She giggled and twirled, the bangles glinting under the late autumn sun.

I smiled and I swear I saw a ghost of a hint of a smile on Toga's lips for a fraction of a second.

**Haruko: Well? What did you think of this chapter? The author mainly wanted to introduce Ryukotsusei, but the dragon will not play an active role until much, much later. Do you have anything to add Petitefeeme?**

**Petitefeeme ( T_T ) : …Do you think that I should say 'hello' to the examiner and teacher or 'Ave, morturi te salutant'?**

**Haruko ¨_¨! : …okaaayy…t'ill next chapter! ^_^**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter nine

**Petitefeeme: I'M ALIVE ! I probably lost a few months of life due to stress but I'M ALIVE!**

**Haruki: How much time until she gets back to normal okaa-san?**

**Haruko: She's in a state of post-exam stress dear. It will take a bit while.**

**Haruki: Well, until then, read and enjoy!**

We progressed rapidly through the Northern territories, not wanting to be caught in the mountains by the approaching winter.

I already had taken out the winter kimonos and was beginning to think about getting out the scarves.

When we stopped in a village, we were always well-received thanks to the Northern lord's seal he gave me. Toga at worst would receive nasty glares but nothing more.

No, all of this wasn't what worried me the most, it was the lingering sensation someone was spying on us when we were camping in the forest.

We had been attacked by a few bandits and demons, but I found the frequency of their apparition increasing the more we neared the temple's mountain.

We were currently walking in the thickest fog I ever saw in my long life.

I was keeping Haruki close to me, not wanting to let her wander.

Toga was walking a bit ahead of us. I barely saw him a few meters from us.

I was still getting this feeling someone was following us and this was beginning to get on my nerves.

I heard something to my right and instinctively grabbed Haruki before plunging to the ground.

Something whizzed above us and I saw briefly an arrow.

I thanked my slightly enhanced hearing due to the fusion between me and Aiko before my hairs changed silver.

I dissipated the fog and immediately wanted to call it back.

We were surrounded by at least ten men with bows in hand and sword hanging down hips.

They fired and I created a bubble of air to repel the arrows.

"We have to get out of here." I said to Haruki before taking her elbow.

My eyes turned blue and I recreated a bit of the fog so that I could lead my daughter to the safety of the rocs.

"Stay here." I told her before peeking over.

By now the fog had dissipated and Toga was fighting the men. I couldn't decipher if they were yokais or humans because they had no distinct markings and I couldn't feel their aura at all, barely their presences.

I took my bow and arrows before firing some.

Out of five, three of them landed where I wanted them to land, which meant the knees, ankles or hand and the two other landed in a shoulder.

I took a few seconds to appreciate my rapidly progressing skills before taking out my naginata because one of the men was coming to me on a horse.

I hoped over the rock, took a few steps away and waited for him.

He galloped to me while screaming like a crazy banshee, his sword raised to strike.

I bent backward twirled to avoid the blade, balancing lightly on my feet like a dance to swing my naginata at the saddle's girth.

The man fell off his horse which disappeared down the road.

I turned my weapons and hit him on his thorax to block his breathing ways.

The man fell unconscious and I turned to scan my surrounding.

Toga had dealt with most of the men present and the few remaining were running away.

I saw something glinting at the corner of my eyes and rummaged a bit with the fallen man's shirt to find a necklace.

I snapped it off and immediately his aura and scented wafted to my nose. His demonic traits also appeared shortly after.

My eyes turned brown and I scanned the air and the earth for any more threat.

What I sensed disturbed me.

It wasn't a human, nor a demonic presence I was sensing. I got a feeling I only got when I was in connection with the earth itself.

Without really thinking, feeling the pull on my soul, I began walking to the aura I was sensing.

I barely felt Haruki and Toga follow me and after a few steps I met with a cat.

In itself the cat was quite common, his fur was entirely black and glossy, and he was just a bit taller than usual cats I saw where I came from.

But the difference was found in its eyes. The colour in itself was quite common too. Yellow, bordering on golden on the edges with black slits in the middle.

It was the depth of those eyes. When you looked in them you knew that they held more wisdom than the oldest sage in the world.

"What's that okaa-san?" asked Haruki, coming beside me and grabbing my sleeves.

I knew she wasn't asking if this was a cat or a dog.

"I don't know dear." I said to her "I think my mother called them 'an old soul'. It's quite appropriate now that I see one in front of me."

The cat mewed before turning around and walking away.

Somehow I knew it was asking me to follow it, so I grabbed Haruki's hand.

"Let's go dear." I said before walking behind the cat's trail.

Toga followed and we walked along the rocky trail to a door carved in the mountain's wall.

The door in itself was simple, but the arcade surrounding it had a phrase engraved in it.

'But it's English!' I though, surprised.

The phrase said: Only those with pure heart will be able to enter.

I wanted to translate it to the other, but I didn't want to explain how I knew the foreign language.

I saw at the corner of my eyes Haruki concentrating, trying to decipher the meaning of the phrase.

She was very intelligent but I knew she lacked some vocabulary skills to fully understand.

The black cat sat on a rock near the entrance and looked at us.

I somehow knew more or less what he was asking. I neared the rock/doorway, Haruki by my side and Toga a few feet behind.

The doors opened very slowly, letting out a blinding light.

I was forced to close my eyes, also covering Haruki's sight.

When we opened them, we weren't in front of the rocky doorway anymore.

All structures around us were made in white marble in a style that reminded me of roman architecture with curved archways and colonnades.

A dark wooden door to our right opened and a young girl about Haruki's human age entered.

Her hairs were hidden in a hat, making her young face's features stand out.

She was wearing a pale red long sleeved haori decorated with tiny white flowers and white hakamas.

"Welcome." She said in a soft poised voice that wasn't normal for a little girl like her "My mistress is waiting, follow me please."

We followed her along a white corridor with many large windows.

From where I was I could see a garden.

We entered a more Chinese architectural part and I was wondering how all of this could be held in one mountain when the girl leading us pushed open a screen and gestured for us to enter.

We complied and under what seemed like a mini Chinese styled four poster bed, was sitting a child that seemed barely older than four.

She was dressed like a princess, with layers of silks, the last one being of an apricot colour with aquamarine lotus woven at the base of the fabric and similarly coloured tiny birds flying on the back.

Her hairs were hidden by a complicated, big and probably heavy gold ornament. I saw orange carnelians and corals, blue aquamarines and hemimorphites dangling from the sides.

Her face wasn't painted and when I looked at her eyes, a wave of sympathy hit me.

She was blind.

"Thank you for your gentle feelings." She said to me and perhaps Haruki, I wasn't sure "But I assure you I chose to lose my eyesight and I don't suffer much."

I was surprised by her word and instinctively sat a few feet from her, bringing Haruki down with me.

"I know why you came." Said the little girl, gesturing to another little girl who was standing to her left.

The little girl disappeared and she continued.

"Are you aware that obtaining angel's tears requires a pure sacrifice?"

A sense of dread began to fill me. Was that meaning that someone would have to sacrifice his/her life to obtain those tears?

The only being pure enough I knew here was Haruki.

As I hugged her closer to me, the little girl smiled softly.

"Do not worry mother." She said "Someone already sacrificed herself to let you obtain those tears."

"Who?" I asked, not being able to contain the question.

"Unfortunately someone you know." Apologized the child "Her name was Akemi-san."

'Akemi-sama!' I though, bewildered.

So not only Akio-sama was gone, but also Akemi-sama? She was one of the few dragons that accepted me fully as I was and she did so much for me, teaching me everything.

Haruki began sobbing into my kimono and I became worried for her. Two deaths in barely three months, it could be too much for a sensible little girl like her.

"Why?" I managed to choke out between my tears.

"Before she sacrificed her life." Told us the child gently "She told me that she had lived long enough and that it was time for the new generation to take place."

It was so Akemi-sama like! She was an extremely wise dragon.

At that moment the girl who had disappeared reappeared, holding in her hands a tiny vial full of what looked like liquid diamond.

It was extremely beautiful and in the same time filled me with sadness.

The girl gave the vial to the child who gave it to me.

"The vial is made of diamond." She said "It will not break. I also know why you need those tears, and I advise you, once you have all you need, to head toward the East."

We stayed the night, the children-servants helping me calm Haruki with a decoction that made her sleep all night long.

I was beside her bed, looking after her troubled sleep, when a child-servant entered the room and bowed.

"My mistress wants to talk to you. Do not worry, a servant will look after your child in your absence."

I nodded, feeling that I could trust them and followed the girl to the room we were an hour ago.

The little child motioned for me to sit and I complied.

A servant served us tea and the child began to speak while I was drinking:

"I know that to achieve your destiny, you were ripped off your family and everything you knew and thrown into an unfamiliar word."

She took a sip of her drink before continuing:

"I cannot reveal a lot to you, barely that you were bought here to influence time and by extend the future. But I can assure you one thing at least. You will live to see your family again."

"Really?" I asked, the hope and joy literally dripping from my voice.

"Yes." Smiled the child "I hope this will give you enough hope and strength to never give up as your way is filled with a lot of hardship and of course happy moments."

"You gave me back hope." I said, smiling in return "I assure you that this is enough to get me to walk ahead for a long time."

The next day our group took its leave and we walked down slowly the mountain.

At the foot however, I had to stop.

"Something is wrong." I told Toga worriedly before making Haruki hide under some rocks "Do you feel the air?"

Yes, the air around us was heavy and stagnant. No sound was reaching us and I was getting a feeling that made my skin crawl.

Toga had barely the time to take out Tetsaiga to block the attack. I took out my naginata and took my place in front of Haruki.

From what I could see, they were ogre demons, but something was off. Their movement were sluggish and slow, their eyes were glowing a fierce red and they had already a nasty gash on their torso.

Toga slashed one with his sword but to my surprise, the two halves only glowed green before assembling again, and the oni was back up.

'How could that be possible?' I asked to myself, something tingling in the back of my mind.

Unfortunately I couldn't put my finger on it and even with I and Toga's effort, the ogres were always coming back and we were beginning to tire.

"How is it possible?" I asked Toga just in case.

"I don't know." He replied shortly "I just know that their scent is similar to death."

"They're dead?" I whispered, shocked "How is that possible?"

Toga didn't answer and I was alone again with my though.

The tingling was more persistent now. Where had I heard about walking dead?"

I concentrated hard and almost didn't see one demon swing its sword at me.

I gasped and barely dodged before blowing him away, my eyes changing from green to silver.

That's when I remembered. Of course, Sou'unga!

Totosai had briefed me a bit about the sword's power. It was apparently capable of 'resurrecting' dead corpse! And those corpses would be insensible to anything, since they were already dead!

I remembered he also told me how to get rid of Sou'unga's servants. It was by fire or spiritual powers, that was it!

My eyes turned red and I retrieved my bow and arrows.

I fired one arrow at each oni before making them burst into flames.

The demons turned slowly into ashes and I pinched my nose, sensing a headache coming forth.

My eyes turned blue and I tried to relax the blood vein on my temples.

I more or less succeeded and soon Haruki came up with the usual medicine.

We reached the forest at the foot of the mountain and walked a one or two hours before settling for the night in the clearing.

Haruki and I collected a lot of firewood for I knew the night would be cold.

We ate what Toga hunted and I quickly reviewed Haruki's maths before sending the still emotionally shaken girl to bed.

I settled her in my arms before turning to Toga.

"We need to settle somewhere for the winter." I told him "Do you know where we could put up?"

"You can come with me at the Western shiro." He told me after a few seconds of silence.

"Is it okay?" I asked worriedly "Inus aren't fond of dragons. I don't want to put Haruki in front of any threat."

"You'll be with me." He simply said, like this was going to stop everything.

"Well, I trust you." I sighed deeply.

'And I hope I'm not doing an error.' I though in addition before getting out my own cover to sleep.

**Haruki: And this was the ninth chapter! Hope you like it.**

**Haruko: And next time, if she get good grades, the authors gonna post two chapters! So we better cheer her on.**

**Haruki: Until next chapter!**

**Haruko: And a word of encouragement to Blue-chan who still have one exam =) **


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter ten

**Petitefeeme: Wooohooo! I got my exams! I got my exams! I got my exams! I got…**

**Haruki: How long do you think she's gonna do that?**

**Haruko: I don't know dear. As promised, two chapters this day. **

**Haruki: read and enjoy!**

I was currently wishing I never had agreed with Toga.

We entered one week ago the western shiro with Toga and since then Haruki and I have lived a recluse life.

Our rooms were nice enough and warm, and we settled quickly in the shiro's lifestyle, but each time we explored the grounds (the shiro was quite big), the servants and nobles would stare at us like we were freaks.

The best ones were just curious, a tiny bit apprehensive, and the worst were downright disdainful, almost glares.

At the beginning Haruki, with her childlike innocence, was blissfully unaware. However after a few days, even she began to feel self conscious, so I decided to restrict our walks when there were less people and in places less frequented.

Toga at the beginning stayed with us, but progressively he disappeared and at the end he passed most mornings and afternoons training with his best friend named Akane.

Akane was extremely open, smiling and soft spoken for a demon, but after getting to know him a bit better, I discovered this was his strength.

He was always calm and analytic, always thinking before rushing into fight. He was also very intelligent and knew how to hide things behind his smiles, though I saw him once or twice with a typical stoic demon face when he was fighting or commanding his soldiers.

What created a strong bound between him and Toga was that Akane wanted to became the head general (a sort of beta in pack of wolves) while Toga wanted to become the next Inutaisho (which was the equivalent of the western lord and alpha of the pack).

The current lord had only given birth to a daughter, which made possible for Toga to achieve his goal.

I only saw Inukimi-sama once when Haruki and I were walking in one of the shiro's garden. She was, like the rumours said, extremely beautiful with long snow white hairs and ruby red eyes gleaming with intelligence, a skin white and smooth as well as a svelte and petite body.

But when I saw her, I couldn't help but be sad. She looked so alone and cold, she almost had a dark depressing aura surrounding her stiff and yet slightly tired posture.

But even if we were alone, my daughter and I still found ways to entertain ourselves.

The shiro's library was huge and we could pass hours reading in front of a fire with warm tea and biscuits. We also walked in the dying gardens a lot while it was still possible, and I took advantage of the situation to deepen Haruki's lessons.

But I think our favourite times were in a little music room. When I was younger I loved learning the harp. My daughter and I passed hours in there, me playing and singing, her dancing.

I would also teach her how to play the harp and sing. I wished I could teach her to also play the piano, ocarina and xylophone, but those instruments didn't exist yet.

Fortunately Haruki seemed gifted with the ability to dance, so I didn't have to teach her (I was personally awful and almost clumsy when I danced).

We were currently in this exact room. I was playing leisurely the now familiar harp and singing a song half in Japanese, half in English while Haruki was dancing lightly on her feet like a little golden fairy.

It made me smile when I saw all the nobles wear apricot coloured kimono, apparently with demons, a style could stay a long time.

We were currently also wearing apricot kimono as Toga was a general and therefore of high status. I was wearing one with raven wing black birds with an obi of the same colour with little apricot clouds while Haruki was wearing one with alabaster white circles with an obi of the same colour with apricot rings.

We weren't wearing any decoration and it was better like that. I also noted that while the Northern court fancied intricate buns, the Western court ladies wore their hairs long with decoration sprinkled over them. I for myself didn't waver from my traditional plait while Haruki like hers in a side ponytail or in little low buns.

I stopped singing when I heard someone sneeze.

I knew that the two girls spying on me had done so for most of the week, not gathering the courage to near us. But they would almost always stick near when I would play

I saw shadows near the door and smiled, stopping my fingers movements on the strings.

"Would you like to come inside?" I asked the shadows kindly "We don't bite and you'll catch a cold."

They entered shyly and I could finally see them wholly.

The older one seemed around 300 years old, 14 in human years while the younger one looked more around 250, 13 in human years. The first one was a inu yokai while the second one was a wolf. They were both wearing the cotton blue uniform of the shiro's servants.

"My name is Haruko and this is my daughter Haruki." I smiled, beginning again to play with the harp's strings.

"My name is Chika." Said the younger one "And this is my friend Atsuko."

Atsuko bowed, a faint blush on her cheeks.

Chika had long red hairs with vivid green eyes full of mischief. She seemed more outspoken than her shy friend and I could predict very smart and witty.

Atsuko, her, had long sparkling golden hairs and equally golden eyes with specks of light green here and there. Physically I could take her for Haruki's sister, but she seemed really shy and had gentle manners, though you could see in her eyes that she was more thoughtful than her friend and really smart too.

I invited them to sing or dance and Atsuko happily sang an ancient Japanese song with me while Chika danced with Haruki.

::::

As the week passed Haruki and I got to know better Chika and Atsuko. The two helped us greatly in being accepted and only a week after meeting them I wasn't receiving weird glares anymore and Haruki had even found some friends in the servant's children.

Atsuko's ambition was to be a lady in waiting. She didn't explain why but seeing her blushing madly near Akane, Toga's best friend, the reason was easy to know.

If Akane really became head general, he would have to mate a female of high standard. However Atsuko was only of a very little nobility.

This was why she wanted to become the lady in waiting of a noble woman. Like that she would obtain enough prestige so that one day she could be his mate.

But her apprenticeship as one was very costly and this is why she worked as a servant to pay her teachers.

I immediately offered help and began her lesson for free.

Chika was more or less in the same situation. She wanted to become a master dressmaker and a jeweller on the side. But her apprenticeship was costly so she also had to take a job. Unfortunately I couldn't really help her.

She was also looking for a lady who would accept her as her designer, but so far no luck.

But the wolf female was still motivated and always smiling. She had a very outgoing and mischievous personality.

With those two I learned the 'wonders' of the court (which mostly resumed into the art of gossiping and intrigues). They also taught me how to play some traditional games and a few traditional songs.

We were currently sitting on a bench near the soldiers training grounds.

Even if it was frequently disturbed by battle cries, the site was beautiful.

The long stone bench was under a cypress tree right now covered in snow. A few bushes were surrounding it and it was normally situated in the middle of a grass patch, at a corner or the training grounds.

Apparently this was Atsuko and Chika's favourite spots to ogle the males (more Chika than Atsuko who had already a sweetheart).

The two girls had the day off and we were all wearing apricot kisodes with different designs.

I had chestnut brown horses running around the hems of my kisode and an equally chestnut obi decorated with apricot flowers.

Haruki had almond green coloured leaves running around the fabric of her kisode and an almond green obi decorated with apricot arabesques.

Atsuko had an amaranthine purple grapes decorated kisode and an amaranthine purple obi decorated with apricot flowers.

Finally Chika had amber suns decorating her kisode and an amber obi. She also had yellow citrines and orange garnets sprinkled over her hairs and amber earrings.

This fact made me want to giggle. Haruki had her scarf around her neck and was playing in the snow. Chika was playfully flirting with some guards who had begun showing off and Atsuko was blushing prettily looking discreetly at Akane who was sparring with Toga.

As for myself I was looking at the two, totally mesmerized with their flawless movements and gracious strikes. It was like a deadly yet controlled dance.

"I'd give him a seven." Suddenly said Chika, looking at a soldier "What do you think girls?"

"Sorry?" Atsuko and I simultaneously asked.

"Aw, that's sweet!" cooed Chika, looking at them "You're so focused on your sweethearts than you pay attention to no one else."

"Sweetheart?" I asked, dumbfounded while Atsuko's cheek reddened.

"Don't tell me no one as taken your fancy!" exclaimed Chika, surprised.

"I think I'm a bit too young for grown up males." I stated calmly "And even so, no one really caught my eyes, my standards are a bit high."

"You and I know that you're a lot older than you seem." Said conspiringly Chika "And we have all high standards here dear. But there always someone that succeed into capturing our interest, as fleeting as it is."

I blinked. Sometimes Chika could be profound and yet so superficial, it amazed me.

"Akane is particularly hot today, ne?" Chika asked Atsuko, deciding to change her victim.

Usually her taunts worked more on Atsuko than me and the dog demoness's face became as red as a cherry.

I smirked, Akane was indeed a good representative of his inu race. His long smooth black hairs were slightly pulled in a loose ponytail and had a white shine in them. His eyes were of a golden so deep that they were like amber, pretty much like Toga's eyes.

A cold wind swept by us and I shivered slightly before deciding to head inside.

"We're going inside." I informed my friends "Haruki, dear!"

She immediately was by my side, her hands blue and her face pink. I scolded her a bit but she only sent me an angelic look which made Chika and Atsuko 'awing'.

I sighed and led her inside for a warm bath.

Later in the large bed I shared with my daughter, while she was sleeping soundlessly beside me, I caught myself thinking bout what Chika said.

I was actually a bit worried that 'until here no male at all caught my eyes. Okay my situation was a bit special. I had Haruki, was actually much more mature than I looked, but in more than a hundred year no one held my attention.

'Apart from Toga…' a little voice whispered in my mind briefly.

I blushed a bit but shooked this though away. True, Toga was everything a female was looking in a male, at least in this period. He was powerful, strong, and even very understable and attentive when he wanted. But he was a bit too mute and stubborn for me. Plus, I knew now that Inu demons were extremely protective (and possessive of course, but that was a trait for almost every kind of demons) and I didn't know if I could support that.

I sighed and chased the ridiculous idea away before falling asleep.

::::

The spring was finally here, and Toga, Haruki and I were departing again.

I couldn't wait to be on the road again. Sure the winter with Atsuko and Chika was very nice but I needed space and staying more than four months enclosed in a shiro got me a bit restless.

I was really sad to leave Atsuko and Chika, moreover that I didn't know when I would see them again.

Together we bought a necklace that could split in three, all the parts together forming a sort of weird flower that reminded me a bit of Celtic design.

Haruki got her ears pierced (I vehemently refused when they proposed that I pierce my ears) and the two offered her little ammolite earrings. The stones were beautiful, a mix of green and golden, flattering Haruki's golden hairs and dark green eyes.

We were going to meet Totosai to forge the last sword for Toga. Then we would head east.

I was planning to let Haruki stay in the village. I didn't want her to follow me in battle. It was too dangerous.

But for the moment I wouldn't tell her. I didn't want to have a whining and pouting daughter for the rest of our travel.

We travelled quickly, and I began to worry that we weren't attacked by any Sou'unga's servants.

We were nearing the East borders, Toga walking ahead of us in his ever so silent self. Haruki was skipping happily behind him and I was walking behind everyone.

We all heard the huge ruckus ahead of us and Toga began sprinting forward immediately.

I took Haruki's hands and we ran behind him to a little hill at the end of the forest.

In the valley before us was a little village nested cosily in.

I squirted my eyes to see the majority of the village surrounding an isolated hut.

'What are they doing?' I asked myself curiously.

I gasped when I saw them throw flaming torches to it, and felt m blood run cold when I heard a scream coming from the inside of the wooden walls.

Instinctively I bolted forward, running downhill to the burning hut. Ignoring Haruki yelling my name, I pushed my way through the crowd.

I came to a halt in front of the flames, their heats reddening my cheeks.

I looked around me to see cruel eyes and stone faces. I knew no one would move to help.

I hardened my resolve and stepped into the burning structure.

I took a few steps forward, the raging flames brushing against my skin, forming a slight burn already.

"Is there someone here ?" I yelled before coughing. I had inhaled too much smoke.

I couldn't see anything with the glaring light the fire was producing and the grey smoke layer hanging heavily in the air.

I was going to retreat when I heard a wail. It was faint, but it was enough for me to move forward, trying to forgo the burns slowly forming on my arms.

I finally saw a form lying on the ground. When I neared it I could see a woman, her face against the wooden floor, half of her body crushed under rubbles.

I could feel no life in her, so she wasn't the one I heard.

I saw something move vaguely at the edges of my slowly blurring vision and kneeled near the corpse to see a clothed bundle.

I touched it to notice it was wet, as if someone had splashed water over it.

I spread the fabric a bit to see huge dark blue eyes staring back at me, tears trickling down chubby cheeks.

The time, for a moment, seemed to freeze. Then the baby began wailing again, little hands agitating the wet fabric around her.

The sound brought me back to reality and I put back the edge of the sheets around the baby's face so that it couldn't inhale smoke.

I took the little bundle carefully in my arms and ran outside, getting out just in time before the hut collapsed.

I fell on my knees, coughing heavily.

"Okaa-san!" exclaimed Haruki, kneeling beside me "Are you alright?"

"Hai." I said between coughs, my lungs trying to get rid of the too much inhaled smoke.

My daughter gave me water and I drank greedily, immediately feeling better afterwards.

I straightened my back and smiled at Haruki before opening the bundle to examine more thoroughly the baby.

The first thing I noticed was that the baby was a female, the second thing being the two blue furred ears on top of the baby's head.

The little girl was a hanyo.

Upon first inspection she didn't appear older than 5 years and looked like a 1 year old baby. A soft patch of bluish hairs that reminded me of a Carthusian cat was covering her head.

"She has ears okaa-san." Remarked curiously Haruki, kneeling beside me to better look at the baby.

"She's a hanyo dear." I explained, smiling when the little girl touched the baby, only to have her finger held hostage by mini hands.

I smiled, looking at the awed wonder shining in my daughter's green eyes as she felt those so tiny warm hands.

I however winced when Haruki accidentally put her hands on a burn.

"Okaa-san you're wounded!" exclaimed panicked Haruki.

"Don't worry dear." I reassured her "It's already healing."

I didn't give her the time to worry and stood.

We didn't have the time to add anything as Toga appeared before, holding a stone in his hand.

I blinked at it before looking back at the crowd surrounding us.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked, hiding swiftly Haruki behind me "This woman that died inside was defenceless, and had a baby. How could you kill this innocent woman and deprive a baby of its mother?"

"This child is a pawn of Satan!" yelled a man "Not meant to be born! As for the woman, she was nothing more than a whore, offering herself to a demon!"

I felt anger eat me and glared fiercely at him, letting some of my aura out.

I almost smirked in satisfaction when I saw the man (and more generally the crowd) shiver and take a step back.

"How can you judge someone because he's different?" I exclaimed, anger sipping coldly through my voice "How can you deprive a child of its mother just because she loved someone deemed evil by a bunch of stupid cowards? How dare you think of killing a pure being that did no wrong yet just because she was born, something she doesn't control herself? How dare you call yourself rightful when you commit such horrible crimes!"

By the time I was finish, to the point I was basically screaming my anger at them.

They were visibly shaken by my speech, but still one man huffed:

"Who are you to tell us that? You're just a little child. A female no less."

That was the last straw. My eyes turned pink, glowing slightly.

The crowd took several steps back, trying to escape, but their fate was sealed the moment I activated my powers.

Soon the children began to weep helplessly ,the women fell on their knees, irrepressible sobs shaking their shoulder and men tried to hide the tears running down their eyes.

"What did you do to us?" asked a man, his eyes showing fear.

"I just opened your hearts." I said, taking Haruki's hand in mine and readjusting the hanyo baby on my arm "Now you'll know what it feel to grow without parents, the pain of a mother being ripped off her child."

I turned around and looked at Toga. He understood and began walking away, taking the lead.

We followed after him in silence, Haruki clinging on my arm.

"Okaa-san?" she mumbled to me as we were walking "Why the baby is the spawn of Satan?"

I sighed at the sad emotions in my musume's eyes and tried to explain to her as best as I could.

"It's a stupid reason dear. See, the humans fear demons because they are too powerful for them. And humans fear anything that's different than them in any way. Demons for their parts look down on humans because they're weaker than them and we could say also because they're different than them. They are a few that understand the benefits of learning from one another."

I let Haruki some time to digest the informations. I also knew that Toga was listening. Good for him.

"Fortunately and unfortunately." I continued "They are some people who are able to see the other on the same level. They learn from each other, become stronger and sometimes fall in love."

I looked down at the now slumbering kit in my arm before continuing:

"Hanyos, like most demons and humans might think, aren't freaks, nor aberrations or like you just heard, spawns of Satan. They are the combined strength of a human and a demon, creating an harmony."

"Like the yin and yang?" asked Haruki.

"Hai, dear, like the yin and yang." I nodded.

My daughter looked at me with questions in her eyes, not fully understanding.

"You'll understand when you're older." I said, ruffling her hairs a bit and smirking when I saw her pout (my daughter hated not understanding everything immediately).

"Will the villagers change their mind?" finally asked Haruki, changing of conversation's subject.

"That my musume, we can only hope." I said "We can explain, but in the end changing a heart take so much more effort than that. And it is the bearer of it that can fully change it."

Haruki nodded thoughtfully and was about to add something when we heard voices calling for us.

"Please Lady-sama wait up!" we heard and turned to see a bunch of women running to us.

I stopped, Haruki behind me just in case, and I felt Toga stiffen imperceptibly.

The group came to an halt in front of us and I let them regain their breath before asking, my voice carefully neutral:

"What do you want?"

One of the women stepped closer to me and presented me a basket containing a bottle, milk and baby clothes.

They all bowed and one of them, the oldest, spoke.

"We are aware that we can't ask your forgiveness milady, but please this as a token of our gratitude for opening our eyes."

I looked at the basket for a second before slowly taking it, nodding to the women slowly.

They bowed one last time before departing again.

There was a silence before I tugged Haruki's hand.

"Let's go." I said quietly.

We walked for a few hours, stopping when the baby woke up and before whining.

"Can we stop now?" I asked Toga "The little one needs to be tended for."

The inu male said nothing back, but the group thankfully stopped soon enough in a clearing conveniently beside a river.

I smiled my thanks to him and began activating myself, barely noticing him disappear, probably to patrol.

I told Haruki to go find some edible herbs and whatnot, along with some wood in the forest surrounding us and told her to not walk too far before putting my bag down.

I took a scarf out and tied the baby on my back like I saw some villagers and servants do before preparing camp.

I quickly prepared the area to light the fire and prepared the milk for the baby, warming it with my power before unclasping the little girl from my back and feeding her.

The baby drank the milk in record time and I was burping her when Haruki came back, proudly showing me her finds.

I began quickly the fire and sorted out the herbs Haruki found, explaining to her patiently why this particular plant wasn't good and why this one would be excellent.

I was about to go hunt when Toga appeared with a rabbit in his hand.

"Arigato." I said to him, nearing him with a smile to take the dead animal from him.

He never replied, but I didn't expect him to. For him actions spoke louder than words and the simple fact he hunted for them was as loud as an hour long speech.

I prepared the rabbit and gave Haruki a book on healing herbs to read before tending to the baby.

I was washing her in a bubble of slightly heated water (thanks to my powers) when I heard Haruki say:

"Does she have a name okaa-san?"

I stopped drying the little body and wondered silently before replying, resuming my task before the little one caught a cold:

"I don't think dear. Why don't you find a name for her?"

Haruki eagerly began enumerating various names for the baby, rejecting them the moment she though of them.

I half listened to her banter, finishing dressing the little girl now asleep before putting her on a strip of fur that was in the basket with the milk, bottle and clothes.

I headed to hide myself behind bushes near the river and stripped of my clothes.

I hissed quietly when the cold water touched my burns and took the vial of aloe vera ointment.

I spread the paste over the more severe burns and dried myself before dressing in a new kimono (one I had was totally lost).

"How about Mikomi?" proposed Haruki while I was serving the rabbit.

I stopped momentarily to think about it.

"Hope in the future." I mused before smiling "That's a good name."

Haruki looked expectantly at Toga, and I had to hide my smile when I saw the almost imperceptible nod he gave her.

"Mikomi it is then." I said, handing Haruki her bowl.

I handed Toga some raw rabbit I reserved and smiled at him when he took it.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter eleven

We were back to the village, waiting for Totosai to finish the heaven sword.

Toga was surprisingly easily accepted (I suspected it was because of his boyish charms) and got quickly the respect of villagers and a still growing fan club.

After a little debate it was decided that Toga would live with me and Haruki.

And this is why I was walking rapidly to the forest.

Toga a few hours ago had gone with Hiro and they hadn't returned yet. Supper was ready and Aisu and I were beginning to worry.

This was why I gave Aisu Mikomi and Haruki for a moment, saying that I would find them.

I entered the first trees and tracked their auras.

She finally found them but stopped when she saw the state Toga was in.

Covered from head to toe in dirt, mud and leaves, the demon was scrubbing himself angrily.

I couldn't help but let out the beginning of a giggle. He turned to me and growled in annoyance.

I turned to Hiro and he answered:

"He fell in the swamp while chasing a deer."

His voice was stern, but I could see the gleam of laughter in his eyes.

I smiled wildly, trying to contain my laughter.

"I'll go get some clothes for him." Told Hiro, walking away.

"Okay, I'll stay here." I said "Just make sure to pass by Aisu to tell her you're alright."

He nodded and disappeared. I sat on a rock not far away from Toga, my back turned to him to give him a little privacy.

After hearing his grumble for ten long minutes, I turned around to see him struggling with his hairs.

I watched him fight for a few second before hoping off the rock and kneeling near the water edge, careful to not wet the hem of my intense dark blue kimono with little white flowers embroidered on regular patterns.

"Here." I motioned for him to come closer "I'll help."

He seemed a bit sceptical, but neared the river's bank nonetheless.

I begin washing carefully the hairs I was secretly jealous of (seriously, the demon did nothing and had silk hairs while I had to literally toil to make mine half decent).

Some minutes passed in perfect silence and I was enjoying it when I heard a purr.

Curious, I looked around to find the sound's source and narrowed my search to the demon boy in front of me.

I blinked at him before lowering my eyes at him.

It was indeed him, the low rumble making his chest vibrate ever so slightly.

But the moment I saw it Toga stopped and opened his eyes, looking at me irritatedly.

"What?" he asked.

"Oh nothing." I said quickly, a bit embarrassed "Do inus purrs?"

"Of course not." The demon snorted "We can rumble but that's all. And we don't rumble that much, only for the family."

'Family?' I though, the word echoing a deep want in my soul 'Does he consider me family? Or is it simply a coincidence?'

Thinking of it brought back the memories of my family, far away in the future and I couldn't help but feel sad.

"Haruko?" asked Toga, breaking my train of thoughts.

"Ah, gomen." I said, forcing a smile on my face and finishing his last strand of muddy hairs "Here, as good as new!"

Hiro entered with an excellent timing and I was able to go.

I walked rapidly to my hut, collected Haruki and Mikomi before reheating supper.

Toga was soon here and I distributed the rice and some meat (half cooked for Toga).

The meal with eaten in a familial atmosphere. Haruki was chatting her day away at Toga who was patiently listening to her.

I was feeding Mikomi her milk, my mind elsewhere.

The little episode with Toga's hairs brought a wave of nostalgia. I realised that the faces of my parents, as well as my little brother's, were blurred.

I began panicking slightly. I didn't want to forget them.

"I'm going for a little walk." I said Haruki after I prepared the baby for sleep "Can you look after Mikomi for a while?"

The golden haired girl nodded and I smiled at her before putting Mikomi in her little fur bed.

I kissed Haruki's forehead and nodded briefly to Toga before exiting the hut.

I walked slowly to the well's clearing, glancing at the stars twinkling in the dark sky, as well as the waxing moon.

They were so beautiful. I loved to sit for hours just gazing at them or any other beautiful nature picture.

I kneeled in front of the well's board and put my hand on it, feeling the old damp wood under my fingertips.

Before I knew it, tears rolled off my cheeks.

::::

"Sorry to bother you." I apologized to Aisu.

"It's no problem." Smiled the woman "I hope you'll defeat this evil sword."

I smiled before kissing a still pouting Haruki and a gurgling Mikomi.

After hours of one sided debate with Haruki, I finally made her agree to stay in the village with Aisu, Hiro, Kiseki and Mikomi. I refused to endanger their lives uselessly.

I ruffled Kiseki's hairs and hugged Hiro briefly before departing with Toga to Totosai's house.

We got here quite quickly and Totosai was there with the new sword in his hands.

"Its name is Tenseiga." He said, handing it to Toga "The sword of healing."

"Arigato." I said for Toga.

"I wish you good luck children." Said the old demon before stopping for a few seconds.

I was beginning to worry for his health when he suddenly came back to life and almost ran back inside his home.

We heard noises made by metal and Totosai re-emerged a few seconds later with a naginata in hand.

"I made it with the strands of your mane." He said, giving the weapon to me "It should be receptive to most of your powers."

"Thank you." I said, taking it and handing back the old one I was carrying.

I secured the gift on my back and bowed to the old demon before walking away, Toga leading as always.

::::

I all but collapsed on the ground, tired.

The more Toga and I moved eastward, the more we were attacked by zombies controlled by Sou'unga and I had an almost constant headache from using my fire power, though using it with my naginata or bow was a lot easier.

I began rummaging in my bag for the usual medicine while Toga disappeared, probably to patrol and hunt something (he had taken that role none too long ago and I was happy of his growing involvement in our little group).

Today was particularly tough and I couldn't wait to sleep a bit. I may be part demon but I was still human and I wanted a good night sleep to restore my energy.

I prepared camp and began searching around for wood when I heard a little whine.

It was barely audible, but I had sensible ears and was able to pinpoint the location of the source.

While gathering wood I made my way there, simply curious as I felt nothing threatening.

I finally stumbled upon a clearing to find two very huge white wolves on the ground, their eyes unfocused, blood marring their furs.

I put down my load of wood and went to check on them, but they were already dead.

The whimper was heard again and I looked harder to find pups.

From their height they couldn't be anywhere above ten years old. They were still young but looked tall enough to get out hunting with their parents.

They had all the pure white fur of their parents, the only difference being their eyes.

They were four in total. One had pure white eyes that reminded me of diamonds with light reflects. Another had fiery red-orange eyes that gleamed like fire.

The third one had also white eyes but that reminded me of pearls, the pupils grey and barely visible.

And finally the fourth one had warm brown eyes, their depth piercing right through you.

They were all shaking and their eyes showed fear.

I kneeled near them and I checked them one after the other.

Save for a few scratches, they were all okay except that they were visibly shaken deeply.

I noted that the one with red-orange eyes was the only female of the group and sighed. I couldn't leave them here, they were too young to survive on their own.

'All right.' I sighed internally.

I gathered them in my arms, succeeded into taking the bunch of wood I collected without letting any of the pups drop and walked back to camp.

And it wasn't an easy task with the female one, as well as the one with brown eyes trying to break out of my hold.

I finally walked in the clearing and put the pups and the wood down.

The female one immediately jumped away from me, growling fiercely. The one with brown eyes just curled himself into a ball, worrying me over his level of stress.

The other two simply laid down against each other, still trembling but looking around with fear mixed with curiosity.

I prepared camp, ignoring the female one who moved with me to be always out of reach and soon the fire I built was cackling happily.

Strangely enough this seemed to calm a bit the female. She stopped growling all the time and took place near the fire, only returning back to her previous occupation when I neared her too much.

Toga returned with a deer and gave it to me, looking at the pups.

"I found them not too far away from camp." I explained. I knew he was asking for an answer without him having to speak "Their parents are dead and I couldn't leave them behind."

He seemed to accept the explanation and sat against a trunk.

His peace however was broken by the female pup who began growling fiercely the moment she saw him.

He looked at her intensively before growling lowly, letting his aura leak out a bit.

This shut up completely the pup who stayed silent thorough the whole evening.

I prepared then distributed the meat. I gave Toga some raw slips and gave barely cooked one to the pups, putting the female pup's share not too far away from her.

I took out my cover from my bag and said goodnight to Toga before trying to burry myself under it.

I was about to fell asleep when I felt something nudging me.

I opened my eyes to see the brown eyed pup trying to enter into the cover with me.

I smiled before opening it a bit, letting the little one crawl up to me to snuggled against my stomach.

That done I promptly fell asleep.

::::

One week passed since I found the pups. And a lot of thing had changed.

After the night Daichi (the brown eyed pup) decided to sleep with me, the other ones increasingly neared me night after night and day after day until they began to always try to be near me, even Akiko (the female pup).

They even began to accompany Toga when he hunted. I was happy and in the same time surprised that the demon accepted their presences, but after reflexion I reasoned that they needed to learn and Toga's inu instinct were telling him he was the only one who could teach them, which was why I was happy because it meant he had accepted them.

I had taken upon my time to train them because we were still attacked by Sou'unga's zombies and the first time they cowered between my legs, making me lose my concentration and my balance.

I could have been severely injured if not for Toga.

So from then I trained them to recognise their names (I named the pearl eyed one Shinju and the diamond eyed one Shugyoku), to understand when we were in a dangerous situation and how to act appropriately then. They couldn't hide between my legs or Toga's, but a few steps behind me, ready to dodge just in case.

We were currently walking, the pups running around not too far away, when I felt someone near us. And it wasn't Sou'unga's zombies.

I looked at Toga and saw his hand on the hilt of Tetsaiga.

"Daichi, Akiko, Shinju, Shugyoku, danger." I called the pups who immediately gathered on the place I pointed to them.

I readied my naginata, Toga took out his sword and we waited.

We didn't wait long. A wolf demon crashed in the clearing and attacked without warning Toga.

After him a group of huge pure white wolves surrounded me and the pups.

I had to call them to near me a bit more before noticing the similarities between them. They had all pure white fur and singular eye colours.

"Can we talk?" I tried, unwilling to kill them "I don't want to fight."

The wolves only growled back and one of them attacked.

My eyes turned golden and I charge my naginata with electricity before hitting it with the flat of my blade.

Shocked, the animal crashed against a tree and lost consciousness.

"Why are you attacking us?" I asked vainly.

They still attacked and they met the same fate as the first one.

"I'll repeat one last time." I said to the cowering wolves left "Why are you attacking us?"

"You killed Beika and Soka and kidnapped their pups." Said one of them.

I wondered a moment before linking the two dead wolves with the names.

"I didn't kill those wolves." I reasoned "Did you see the damages done on the bodies? I don't have claws big enough to do that. And those little ones here can tell you I'm not the one you're searching for."

On cue the pups began yipping and the one who spoke grumbled a moment in thoughts before saying:

"Apparently we misjudged you. Please forgive us. Thank you to have looked after the pups."

He bowed his head slightly and I relaxed a bit before Toga and the wolf demon crashed in the clearing next to us.

"We must stop them!" I exclaimed, running to them, the wolves and pups on my heels.

We came to see the two facing each other, Toga with Tetsaiga and the wolf demon with a light katana.

"Please stop fighting!" I yelled, running in the middle of the clearing to prevent any further fight.

"Taichou-sama!" yelled the white wolf "They aren't the ones that killed Beika and Soka!"

"What!" growled their leader, surprised "Then what are you doing in my territory."

He growled lowly and I felt Toga come near me, his sword still in his hand.

"We are after an evil sword called Sou'unga." I explained calmly "We have to destroy it or the world will be destroyed."

"I don't believe you." Said the wolf leader "It's been months since someone began killing my wolves one by one and I never saw any evil sword."

I was desperate to try proving that I was telling the truth but didn't know how. I was beginning to panic when a few of Sou'unga's zombies crashed in the clearing, attacking the wolf demon and a few white wolves.

I called the pups before exchanging my naginata for my bow.

I notched one arrow, my eyes turning red, and fired it to the zombie holding one wolf to my left.

I set the arrow aflame and the zombie disintegrated in ashes quickly.

I repeated the operation for every zombie attacking the wolves, letting Toga and the wolf demon deal with the ones attacking them before tending to the injured ones.

The wounds were serious and I had to use a good deal of my nature power to make sure they would survive.

"Finished." I said to the wolf who spoke to me earlier, finishing the bandages of the last one "A few days of rest and they will be as good as new."

"I cannot thank you enough for your help…" replied the wolf, stopping when he had to say my name.

"Haruko." I simply told him, smiling friendly.

"Arigato Haruko-san." Replied formally the wolf, bowing his head slightly.

I nodded to him and went to Toga's sides.

"Are you injured?" I asked, scanning him for any wound."

"No." he simply said.

Satisfied, I nodded briefly before turning to the demon wolf.

"What's your name?" I asked, curious.

"I am Kiba." Answered the demon "Leader of the eastern tribe, the white wolves. Who are you and why are you intruding my territory?"

I resisted the urge to snort at his arrogance. It was Toga who answered.

"I am Toga of the western land. We are searching to tame the evil sword Sou'unga."

"The sword can possess the corpses it slays." I explained, hoping to avoid a useless fight "They were probably the ones who killed your wolves."

It took some time but I succeeded into convincing Kiba we weren't a threat

After that I visibly relaxed… until Kiba decided to come with us.

::::

I sighed deeply but as discreetly as I could. The tension in our group for the past few days had been ridiculously high.

I could somehow understand. Toga and Kiba were both alpha of their own pack. Their coexistence was then difficult because when our groups joined, no one said who would be the leader.

But this was ridiculous! The tension was so overwhelming that it affected the ones around them.

Kiba's wolves were loyal to him. But I saved their lives and took care of their youngs. As for the pups, they were loyal to Toga and me but were hesitant to go against their elders.

I was about to snap at them when I sensed Sou'unga's zombies approaching us ( I could recognise their undead auras quite well now).

"Toga." I warned him, retrieving my naginata from my back.

I told the pups to go behind me and had one last thought to perhaps name my naginata before the zombies busted in, chasing…a cat.

I blinked at the scene and had almost no time to recover as the cat barrelled to us, hiding behind me.

My eyes turned red and I slashed the zombie who tried to pass my defence, letting Toga and Kiba deal with the rest.

Keeping an eye on the fight, I kneeled the cat to check on it.

But it was a totally normal cat and I was wondering why Sou'unga was after it when I felt someone prick my skin.

I gazed down to the hollow of my throat to see a tiny flea drinking my blood.

I snapped my hand on it and let the flattened flea fall on my hand.

"Who are you?" I asked curiously, recognising a slight demonic aura in the flea.

"Permit me to present myself." Said courteously the little flea demon "My name is Myoga the flea."

"I'm Haruko, nice to meet you. Are you the ones the zombies were pursuing?"

"If by zombies you mean the undead demons then yes."

"Don't you mind telling us why?" I asked.

**Haruki : I hope you liked it ! **

**Haruko: We congratulate Blue-chan for her success too! Until next week!**


	12. Chapter 12

Dear readers

I have important news so please read.

First: This story is almost finished, the next chapter will be the last. But don't worry, this is only the first part ^_^

Second: Good news, I almost finished the second part (only one or two chapter left). I promise to send a note to warn you when I'll post the first chapter).

Third: Bad news, I'm going to a remote part of France where I'm not sure that I'll have internet, so the last chapter isn't for until at least two or three weeks.

I hope you'll forgive me and wait patiently until I post the last chapter (probably in end-July or August).

Until next chapter

Petitefeeme


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter twelve

**Petitefeeme: It's a miracle! Internet works!**

**Haruko: So here is the last chapter! But don't worry, if the first part is finished, the second one is in the making and soon will be finished!**

**Petitefeeme: So read and enjoy!**

I was walking behind Toga and Kiba, the wolves and pups around me, trying to ignore the tension.

The little flea demon sitting on my shoulder got me thinking a lot.

Apparently a sheath created to contain Sou'unga's power existed but was kept in a secret place. But something the flea said alarmed me much more than anything.

He said that while escaping Sou'unga's fortress he had seen dragons flying around.

That was meaning that the damned sword had taken control of the dragons he killed during their check-up travel.

That also meant Akio-sama could be among them.

I was so extremely afraid, and nervous, that even the pups and wolves around could feel my distress.

The wolves were whimpering a bit but kept their distance (due to this stupid alpha rivalry), and the pups had tried to comfort me (I was touched by their attempt, even though it didn't really work).

Toga was much more oblivious. Being in constant rivalry with someone seemed to be really attention consuming.

A dragon, even dead, wasn't something to treat with thoughtlessness. Yes, it would be a bit slower and lumbering, but it would still have its powers.

I didn't know how much dragon had went with Akio-sama, but knowing their logic they had probably gone here in a group of three or four.

I knew one had come back alive. That meant there could be two or three dragons fighting in the enemy's camp, including Akio-sama.

I shuddered and looked hesitantly at Toga

Since I learned from Myoga the terrible news, I had tried to speak to Toga about the matter. But the inu demon was so invested in his childish rivalry that I wasn't able to find any calm moment to speak to him.

I sighed before asking to stop for the night. The sun was slowly going down and I needed some light to hunt.

I sighed again. Since their rivalry had begun the two were competing with each other for everything and anything.

But the results were less than satisfactory. For example each time they would go hunt, they would get in the way of each other and in the end catch nothing.

Toga departed, alone since I refused that the pups follow him until this stupid rivalry was finished (it wouldn't do them any good to watch their pitiful attempt to catch something).

Kiba followed immediately after him, ignoring his wolves whimpering to him.

I sighed and told three of them to stay here to guard camp before telling the other to come with me.

We tracked a dear to supply meat to everyone and I was about to kill it when we felt a huge blast of power.

The dear, frightened, fled and I swore under my breath before running back to camp.

There I told the wolves to stay and protect the young ones before running again, this time to the source of the fight.

I became really angry when I saw Kiba and Toga battling each other fiercely.

"Toga, Kiba, please stop!" I yelled fruitlessly as they apparently didn't hear me.

I noticed their eyes were red and became worried. If their beasts were in control, this could become ugly really quickly. Even more so that I could sense Sou'unga's zombies nearing us really fast (they must have sensed the power blast earlier).

"Toga!" I screamed, trying to warn him and wanting to bash his head for his foolishness.

But he ignored me, unwillingly or willingly I would never now.

I had barely the time to push him away as a zombie dragon dived from the sky to us, his claws open and ready to tear flesh apart.

I felt a horrible burning sensation on my arm and screamed in pain as I went flying into a tree, hitting my head.

I tried to stay conscious but I still felt myself involuntarily slip into unconsciousness.

::::

I regained my senses when a wet unpleasant sensation forced me to wake up.

I opened my eyes to receive water in my them.

I closed them and sat, taking a few moments to regain my balance.

I cleaned my eyes and saw water drops falling from the ceiling to where my face was a few moments ago.

I put my hand on my cheek to effectively see that it was wet.

I tried to stand up but was forced to sit back down when my legs gave out.

I was feeling incredibly weak and tried to call forth my power.

When it didn't answer I searched on my body to see no concealment spell. That meant the whole cell had a spell on to contain my powers.

Now that I had looked around, I could see that the cell was quite huge, more fitted for a dragon than a human.

'I must be in the eastern dragon fortress' I though

I tried to remember everything I knew on dragon cells. I knew they had an exit but it was always blocked by a spell and only those who knew the code to unlock it could pass.

But what was the code? I racked my brain for any piece of information.

I remembered in a flash Akio-sama grumbling about wanting to change the very old code in use in the eastern fortress. I, at that time, understood that this fortress was the most recluse the dragons had and therefore the most neglected. So that meant they didn't change the code in all those years.

I forced myself to remember everything I heard or read about this fortress and finally found something.

The fortress was built in the honour of a dragon lord who had fallen, protecting the coven from a great foe.

His mate after his death had wished to live alone a far away from her community and they complied with her wish.

The code was chosen after her deceased mate's surname.

'But what was his surname.' I though desperately 'Think Haruko think…yes!'

"Asahi." I told strongly and firmly to the wall who disappeared.

I did a little victory dance in my head before carefully straightening up.

Staying near the walls, I made my way the most discreetly possible to the upper floor.

I was happy when my power returned right after I stepped out of the cell. I immediately hide my presence and let it slowly heal my arm which was still injured, though I couldn't see clearly through my clotted, shredded kimono sleeve.

Praying for the wound to not get infected I walked down many corridors, trying to stay as much as I could in the shadows.

I was trying to find my way around when I felt a pull.

I was a bit hesitant but still turned left, following the pull.

I quickly came to a guarded door, two huge Onis standing in front of it.

I was trying to find a way to get them to quit their post when a blast was heard none too far away.

The Onis moved toward the sound and I thanked profusely the one who created it before rushing inside the guarded room.

There I saw my naginata and was impressed. It was it who called me up there.

I took it in my hands and felt the weapon pulse with…happiness.

'Strange.' I though, smiling against my will.

I put it back on and looked around to see an old sheath.

'Could it be…?' I hoped, nearing it and looking at the golden seal on it.

"You got to help me." Said suddenly a ghost, appearing from the sheath "If we do nothing Sou'unga will destroy the world!"

I blinked in surprise before asking:

"Are you Saya by any chance?"

"Indeed young one." Said the old ghost "How do you know me?"

I resumed him my meeting with Myoga and our quest to tame the evil sword Sou'unga.

"You have to take me with you." Said firmly the ghost after my tale "I can help subduing Sou'unga."

"Of course." I said, taking the sheath and tying it to my hips.

I peeked out in the corridor to find it still deserted.

Happy, I got out and continued to find my way outside, this time helped by Saya who had some knowledge of the place.

I was also happy to hear from the ghost that when Sou'unga attacked the dragons that had come checking the fortress, some of them, including Akio-sama, burned themselves to escape being controlled by the evil sword.

Their death must have been very painful, but I was glad I didn't have to confront them.

When I found a huge hole in a wall (this was probably the source of the blast) and looked outside to see a huge battlefield.

I saw hundreds of Onis and various lesser demons fight Kiba and his white wolves. Two dragons were hovering over the area.

One of them dived down and I feared for my friends' lives until I heard someone shout:

"Kaze no kisu!"

I happily recognised Toga's voice, although I couldn't see him, and saw the golden attack I remeber him use from time to time hit the dragon.

I winced slightly when the dragon fell on the ground in pieces and turned to try to find an exit.

I turned right only to find myself in front of three very huge Onis.

Something was telling me there weren't going to step aside if I asked them nicely so I swirled around and ran in the opposite direction.

"This isn't the way girl!" exclaimed Saya.

"Well then tell them." I replied before turning right and climbing a set of stairs.

I swore when I stepped outside into one of the huge landing balcony with no way to escape.

I tried to gather enough power to transform but I was still recovering and could barely fire something at the Onis pursuing me.

I still tried and successfully burned one of the zombies following me, but the effort was too much and I was forced to kneel on the ground.

'I am in deep, deep shit.' I though, trying to come up with a plan to escape.

One of them shot a beam of youki to me and I closed my eyes, expecting to be badly injured when I heard someone yell:

"Backlash wave!"

I felt a rush of violent wind and a powerful youki. When I opened my eyes I saw Toga in front of me, the Onis apparently destroyed as I could not see them anymore.

The rush of adrenaline that kept me on my feet left, rendering me extremely tired and weak. My powers were still nowhere near their normal level, probably focusing on the wound on my arm who I suspected was poisoned and my head still hurt where I hit the tree earlier.

"Are you alright?" asked Toga, kneeling beside me.

I saw concern in his eyes and another feeling that surprised me, guilt.

"I'm alive." I joked a bit, smiling lightly at him.

His unemotional mask still in place, he helped me on my feet and supported me by putting his arm around my waist.

I would have loved to blush but the time wasn't right. He led me outside the tower in no time and jumped over the battlefield to Kiba and his wolves.

"I'm going to fight Sou'unga." He said to Kiba "Do you think you'll be able to hold out?"

"Tch." Replied Kiba "Don't worry, go. I'll protect Haruko."

I frowned a bit. I didn't like to feel useless, but I guess I didn't have a lot of choices.

"Wait." I called to Toga before he went away.

He turned to me with an eyebrow raised and I took Sou'unga's sheath from my side to give it to him.

"This is Sou'unga's sheath Myoga has told us about. Please take it, it will help you."

Toga reached to take it and Saya chose this moment to get out.

He presented himself to Toga and the two departed shortly after that.

"This place isn't sure." Said Kiba, motioning to one of his wolves to come closer "Kuro will take you somewhere safe."

I pouted a bit but knew that I would only be an hindrance here. So I gathered my strength and, leaning on the wolf named Kuro, I made my way outside the battlefield.

After a ten minutes walk we finally walked into a clearing where I could see the pups guarded by two females as well as my bag.

"Haruko-san!" exclaimed happily Myoga, appearing out of nowhere to suck my blood.

I smacked him flat and let him fall on the ground while kneeling to receive the pups that had ran to me in my arms.

I gave them a big hug and laughed when they licked me before turning to the females.

"Thank you to have looked after the pups." I said "Can you help toward a source of water?"

One of them got up and helped me to a river, the pups following me and the other one bringing my bag.

I disrobed and entered the water.

I fished out my bar of soap and washed thoroughly my wound before washing myself.

The pups but Akiko (she detested water for some reason) accompanied me in my bath and I took the opportunity to wash them, fighting briefly with Akiko to also wash her.

I got out and dried myself before drying the pups and a pouting and miserable looking Akiko.

I took out some aloe vera ointment and some bandages for my arm as well as an amethyst coloured kimono with charcoal circles outlined on the fabric and a red amber slash.

After I finished all of this we waited for the en to return. I became soon really tired so I took out my cover and snuggled in a corner.

The pups surrounded my and laid around me as the females sat down not too far away.

I was woken up by the pups' barks.

I opened my eyes to see them greeting back Toga.

Kiba wasn't far behind with his wolves.

I straightened and took my medical supplies.

I neared Toga.

"Please let me heal you."

He said nothing, just sat against a tree.

I helped him out of his armour and opened his haori before tending to the slash on his upper torso.

His arms took most of the damages and it took some time to bandage them but after that I finally finished.

While I was bandaging him I could see his eyes on me.

I remembered what Myoga told me while I was bathing. Apparently when I was taken away Toga lapsed into silence. He retook his role as alpha extremely seriously and even Kiba's joke to lighten the atmosphere didn't work.

From Myoga's point of view, he regretted heavily his stupid behaviour.

That could explain the guilt I saw in his eyes earlier.

"Everyone make mistakes, it's normal." I whispered for only him to hear "Learn from them and move forward. In the future just stay in tune with your pack members' feelings."

I smiled at him before straightening and going to Kiba who had nasty gashes on his legs and feet.

After a lot of whining on Kiba's part and the healing of the injured wolves, I decided to name my naginata Hinakami, the flame blade, for her usefulness (she permitted me to channel my fire power without weakening me too much) and the warm feeling of her happiness.

::::

When we came back to the village Haruki rushed into my waiting arms.

Apparently everyone had felt Sou'unga's tremendous power blast during his fight with Toga and worried a lot.

After the fight, with most of his territory barren and destroyed, Kiba wished to follow Toga. Apparently he had somewhere along the way recognised the inu demon as his alpha.

They stayed a few days in the village to recover from their wounds.

During that time Toga and I discussed the fate of the evil sword.

We knew Toga couldn't bring back Sou'unga to the western shiro. He wasn't lord yet, so it was dangerous for him to carry Sou'unga around without any safe place to put the sword in, and anyone who could steal the sword could be influenced by it.

We decided that the sword for some time would stay here, and after a talk with Hiro and Aisu, the villagers agreed to build a little shrine a bit away from the village.

I accepted to live in it with my family to guard the sword until Toga came back for her.

When Toga and Kiba decided to go, the goodbyes were a bit teary (Haruki actually cried a bit in Toga's arm and the pups whined endlessly), and we watched them go until we couldn't see them anymore.

I knew Toga was going to participate in the tournament, become lord of the west and produce an heir with Lady Inukimi (I didn't know if he planned to mate with her). I didn't know if and when I would see him again (the same went for Chika and Atsuko).

I didn't know why but these thoughts tore my heart. When we were travelling together something happened between Toga and us. He was dear to us, a bit like family.

But even that couldn't explain the painful ache in my heart and finding no answer I decided to forget it.

"Let's go home." I told Haruki and the pups, taking the little girl's hand while the other held a whining Mikomi.

"It's not home anymore without Toga." Mumbled Haruki before following me.

I didn't know how to answer or comfort her. Toga and us simply weren't from the same world. The simple fact that we got together shortly was surprising.

**Petitefeeme: And here is the last chapter, I hope you liked it!**

**Haruki: The ending is a bit sad.**

**Petitefeeme: Don't worry you'll see each other again, in the second part!**

**Haruko: That you'll post as soon as finished of course.**

**Petitefeeme: …Of course! As soon as finished and after my holidays. My father won't let me write or even go on the laptop. It's a miracle I was able to post this chapter. Also, a friend told me she had problem remembering all the names and characters. So next part I'll make a list of them so that you don't mix things up.**

**Haruko: Until next part! And good holidays!**


	14. Chapter 14

Author's note

GOOD NEWS ! The second part is finished ^_^

I'll post the first and second chapter this Friday, so look out folks.

On the demand of a friend, I'll also post a list of the already present characters so that you don't get too lost.

And here is the title of the second part: Birth of an Empire

I hope you'll review to let me know what you think of this second part (criticism are welcomed)


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